A former Somali lawmaker claimed that multiple warnings about corruption involving Somalia and the United States were disregarded by American officials, leading to the misuse of both Somali families and U.S. taxpayer money.
Abdillahi Hashi Aviv, who was part of Somalia’s Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, reacted to a statement from the State Department released on Wednesday. This announcement came amidst ongoing reports of corruption in Somalia, notably a government raid on U.S. aid.
The undersecretary for foreign aid and humanitarian affairs confirmed that Somali officials “destroyed a U.S.-funded World Food Program (WFP) warehouse and unlawfully seized 76 tons of food aid meant for vulnerable Somalis.” The official emphasized that the Trump administration has a “zero-tolerance policy” toward the waste and theft of life-saving aid.
The State Department then decided to suspend all U.S. assistance provided to the Somali government until it acknowledges and rectifies what has been termed as “unacceptable conduct.”
“Finally, after years of neglect, it’s nice to see your office showing an ‘interest’ in these crimes,” Aviv remarked, noting that he’s been reporting on “systematic fraud, embezzlement, and mismanagement” related to the WFP in Somalia since late 2022.
Aviv mentioned that he has reached out to the State Department, the U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu, Congress, and the Office of the Inspector General.
“Despite providing detailed reports and a clear plan to combat this abuse, your office has consistently dismissed my concerns and even questioned my intentions,” he expressed. “While food aid theft affected the most vulnerable, I was treated as if I was the issue for holding Somali officials and WFP accountable.”
He suggested that he could meet with the undersecretary to provide a briefing report outlining practical solutions to end the fraud, aligning with President Trump’s zero-tolerance stance.
“No more delays. No more excuses. The Somali people should be held accountable, and your office needs to take decisive action rather than acting as if this is a new issue,” he insisted.
Aviv has faced retaliation for his anti-corruption stance. In 2025, he was expelled from Somalia’s parliament, which is recognized as the second most corrupt country worldwide, just days after releasing a thorough analysis of central bank transactions. Reports suggest he was accused of over $1 million in fraud by former colleagues who ousted him.
The struggles in Somalia extend beyond bad governance. According to the UN’s WFP, around 4.6 million people there confront “catastrophic levels of hunger.” The country was nearing famine due to severe drought conditions until the WFP intervened in 2022. That same year, Aviv began to issue warnings about corruption within Somalia and the WFP.
Since the 2022 fiscal year, the U.S. has provided around $2.3 billion in humanitarian aid to Somalia, but WFP officials have stated that “serious funding shortages” have compelled them to prioritize and cut back on assistance when hunger is on the rise again.
In another development, a Somali national residing in the U.S. has reportedly been implicated in fraud that has drained an estimated $9 billion from Minnesota’s Medicaid system since 2018. Investigative journalists have looked into a Somali daycare center, funded by local businesses and taxpayers, which could be involved in major fraudulent activities, with similar investigations spreading to other states with significant Somali populations.
Aviv asserted that he is “absolutely certain” about the ongoing fraud in Minnesota, but he also expressed concern for the innocent Somalis in the U.S. who are law-abiding and financially supporting their families back home.
He noted that he has been threatened by the current Somali government and international groups, including the United Nations, due to his inquiries into the theft.
Aviv also expressed frustration that U.S. lawmakers, including four Republicans from Minnesota, have not engaged with a “roadmap” he provided to them, which he describes as a straightforward proposal.
No comments were received from Aviv or the WFP regarding these issues when approached.
