Muna Wais Fidhin, 44, has been indicted on charges of wire fraud, federal programs bribery, and money laundering in connection with the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson announced that Fidhin is the 75th person charged in what is described as the largest Covid-related fraud case in the United States.
“With the 75th defendant charged in the Feeding Our Future scandal, the message could not be clearer,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Feeding Our Future is only one of the many frauds against the state we are pursuing. If you touched these frauds in any way, pick up the phone and call the FBI today. You will still be held accountable, but it will be far better for you than if you wait until we come knocking.”
According to authorities, Fidhin participated in a scheme to defraud the Federal Child Nutrition Program by exploiting changes made during the Covid-19 pandemic that were intended to help underserved children receive meals.
Feeding Our Future was a non-profit organization designed to help community partners participate in this federal program. Its founder and executive director, Aimee Bock—who has been convicted at trial and awaits sentencing—oversaw a significant expansion of operations starting around April 2020. The organization increased its sponsored sites and dramatically grew its share of federal funds from about $3.4 million in 2019 to nearly $200 million by 2021.
Fidhin enrolled her company M5 Café into the program under Feeding Our Future’s sponsorship in 2020 and later created another nonprofit called M5 Care for similar purposes under a different sponsor in 2021. Prosecutors allege she falsely claimed to serve meals to hundreds of children daily when few or no meals were actually provided and submitted fake invoices for food purchases.
Authorities say Fidhin claimed to have served over 300,000 meals across two sites and sought roughly $1 million from federal nutrition funds as reimbursement.
Instead of using these funds for their intended purpose, officials claim Fidhin used them for personal expenses such as paying off her mortgage, buying a car, supporting her lifestyle, wiring money overseas, and paying approximately $27,000 in kickbacks to an employee at Feeding Our Future who facilitated her claims.
“Today’s arrest of Muna Wais Fidhin represents yet another major milestone in this investigation: the 75th indictment in this massive fraud scheme,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. “As alleged in the indictment, Fidhin, using fraudulent documents, stole more than $1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program. Fidhin, and all of those charged in connection with this scheme, may have underestimated the FBI’s ability to identify, investigate and prosecute individuals who steal from taxpayers with funds intended for hungry children. Rest assured; the FBI will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners, together with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, until every culpable person is held responsible.”
Adam Jobes from IRS Criminal Investigation noted that investigations like these highlight widespread vulnerabilities within government-funded assistance programs which can attract fraudulent activity when oversight fails.
“The Feeding Our Future fraud investigation ignited an awareness of the pervasive fraud that exists in government-funded programs in this state,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge at IRS Criminal Investigation’s Chicago Field Office.“Well-intentioned assistance programs will always be targeted for fraud and when the system fails to protect federal funds… there is still more work to be done on this and other fraud schemes targeting government funded programs.”
Bryan Musgrove from United States Postal Inspection Service Denver Division added: “The arrest of the 75th defendant… demonstrates [our] steadfast pursuit of justice for anyone who uses mail [to divert] emergency funds intended…for those most in need.”
The investigation involved collaboration between multiple agencies including FBI agents specializing https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/minneapolis/news/press-releases/federal-grand-jury-indicts-47-defendants-in-feeding-our-future-fraud-scheme , IRS Criminal Investigations https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/defendant-charged-additional-counts-feeding-our-future-fraud-scheme ,and US Postal Inspection Service https://www.uspis.gov/news/scam-article/feeding-our-future-fraud .
Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H.Thompson along with Assistant U.S.Attorneys Harry M.Jacobs,and Daniel W.Bobier are prosecuting these cases.Assistant U.S.Attorney Craig Baune handles asset forfeiture proceedings related to this matter.
It should be noted that indictments are allegations only.All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
