Four plead guilty to roles in "Feeding our Future" fraud scheme

(St. Paul, MN) -- Four people are pleading guilty for their role in the $250 million dollar "Feeding our Future" fraud scheme.

The four accused; Qamar Hassan (54, Brooklyn Park), Abdikadir Kadiye (51, Minneapolis), Yusuf Ali (41, Vadnais Heights), and Sahra Nur (62, Saint Anthony), admitted to participating in the fraud scheme that misused millions of dollars in federal child nutrition funds. The defendants pled guilty to several charges, including money laundering, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. 

According to the U.S. Department of Justice says the following information led to the guilty pleas against four people.

Qamar Hassan, the owner of S & S Catering Inc., claimed the company provided more than 8 million meals as a vendor for places participating in the federal food program. Authorities say she received approximately $16.5 million dollars in either direct or indirect reimbursements from Feeding our Future. Sahra Nur, one of the owners and operators of S & S Catering Inc., claimed to provide 1.2 million meals via S & S Catering. Some meals were provided through the company, but authorities claim it was only a fraction of the reported totals they were reimbursed for. The company also acted as a vendor to provide packaged meals and food to distribution sites across the state, which authorities say led to the company claiming they provided more than 8 million meals and being reimbursed $16.5 million through Feeding our Future. 

Abdikadir Kadiye, the president of Hobyo Health Care Foundation., claimed to provide at least 445,000 meals to children at site sin Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, and Minneapolis. Authorities claim Kadiye submitted more than $1.1 million in fraudulent claims and laundered hundreds of thousands for personal expenses like residential and commercial real estate and vehicles. 

Yusuf Ali, an operator with Youth Inventors Lab, claimed to have served 1.3 million meals, receiving more than $3 million fraudulently in Feeding our Future sponsorships.