U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel sentenced Abdul Abubakar Ali to one year and one day in federal prison on Monday, March 31, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ali, who pleaded guilty in 2022 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud as part of the Feeding Our Future scandal, was found responsible for diverting more than $3 million that was intended for feeding needy children during the pandemic.
The case involves a scheme where Ali used a nonprofit organization to submit false claims for 1.5 million meals that were never provided. Judge Brasel, appointed by President Donald J. Trump during his first term, described the operation as “the largest in the District of Minnesota and one of the largest ever in the country.” Despite citing aggravating factors such as damage to public trust in government assistance programs and Ali’s efforts to recruit others into the fraud, she granted a relatively light sentence.
The Feeding Our Future scandal has resulted in over 60 convictions, many of whom are Somali nationals. The operation stole hundreds of millions of dollars from federal food assistance funds allocated during the pandemic, with significant portions diverted to non-essential expenses by the conspirators.
At his sentencing, Ali stated: “Your honor, I just want to say I’m sorry to everyone that my actions have hurt.”
This case represents the largest single fraud prosecution handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota.
