Fugitive Arrested After Four Years in Somalia

A man wanted for his role in the largest pandemic fraud scheme in U.S. history has been apprehended after evading authorities for over four years.

Abdikaam Abdellahy Aidre, 42, from Burnsville, Minnesota, was arrested in Mogadishu, Somalia, on June 25. He is believed to be closely linked to Amy Bock, the founder of a nonprofit implicated in the $250 million Feeding Our Future scandal. Bock was sentenced last month to 500 months in prison.

FBI agents, in cooperation with Somali intelligence, located Aidre, who allegedly acted as Bock’s second-in-command. Prosecutors contend that Aidre was involved in recruiting operators for a program called Meals for the Future, collecting kickbacks from those seeking approval. He also maintained multiple shell companies that facilitated the transfer of over $5 million in fraudulent funds, including a $95,000 payment for his own mortgage in Burnsville, according to reports.

A grand jury issued a 31-count indictment against Aidre in September 2022, charging him with conspiracy, wire fraud, bribery, and money laundering.

U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen remarked that Aidre’s capture serves as a reminder that those who commit fraud against taxpayers will eventually face justice, no matter where they try to hide.

Aidre fled in January 2022, just two months before a search warrant was executed at the Feeding Our Future site. He had been evading capture until this week.

In total, 79 individuals have been charged in this extensive case, with 66 either convicted or pleading guilty. Bock received a particularly harsh sentence in May, and investigations suggest that fraud in Minnesota’s social services systems could surpass $1 billion.