A Kenyan man has been indicted for his role in laundering
millions of dollars linked to the Feeding Our Future fraud, the largest
COVID-19 fraud case in the United States.
The 28-year-old was charged with conspiracy to commit
international money laundering, according to Acting US Attorney Joseph H.
Thompson. He is the 74th defendant in the case.
Prosecutors say he helped his brother move more than $40
million (about Sh5.1 billion) stolen from the federal child nutrition program.
The program was meant to provide free meals to children in
need.
“I share the outrage of my fellow Minnesotans at seeing
money meant to feed hungry children converted into fortunes half a world away. This
indictment shows yet again what we are up against. It is another window into
the many fraud schemes that have seeped into every corner of our state,” said Thompson.
“We cannot shrink from confronting this crisis. We must come
together as Minnesotans and demand that the frauds stop now. We must protect
the future of our children and our state.”
This comes even as the brother was sentenced last month to 28
years in prison for fraud. He also faces sentencing in a separate juror bribery
case.
According to the indictment, the Kenyan received millions
from the brother between 2020 and 2022.
He allegedly invested the money in Kenyan real estate
through sham companies and bulk cash smuggling.
Court documents detail lavish purchases, including a stake
in a Kenyan real estate company, an apartment near Nairobi National Park, and
land in Mandera near the Somali and Ethiopian borders.
Text messages between the brothers reveal exchanges of
affection alongside images of large sums of cash.
In August 2021, one sent the other a photo of $138,000 in
cash. In December, he sent photos of banker’s boxes with $270,000 and a $300,000
transfer receipt marked as “family support.”
The indictment also notes that the 28-year-old married his
brother’s sister-in-law, in Nairobi in December 2021, and she later on sought to
sponsor his US residency.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), they
will do anything within their power to ensure taxpayer resources are used
appropriately.
“The federal child nutrition program was designed to provide
meals to children in need. According to the indictment, the suspect saw this
instead as an opportunity to steal from taxpayers and from hungry children. The
FBI will use every resource to stop this shameful theft and to ensure that
taxpayer resources are used appropriately,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin
M. Winston, Sr.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, IRS-Criminal
Investigations, and the US Postal Inspection Service.
