Abdirashid Bixi Dool, 36, has been charged with wire fraud and money laundering for his role in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. Between March 2021 and February 2022, Dool reportedly claimed to serve 6,000 meals a day to children in Pelican Rapids, more than twice the town’s total population. Most of the $1.1 million in federal funds went to Dool and a co-conspirator for personal use, including travel and real estate. Dool and a co-conspirator also claimed to operate a second food site in Moorhead.

Back in 2023, Kawsar Jama, 41, of Eagan, was charged in the same Feeding Our Future scheme for falsely claiming to serve meals in Pelican Rapids, Burnsville and Minneapolis. 

In Pelican Rapids, Jama claimed to serve 2,560 meals to children each day. She received $3.7 million in federal nutrition funds for personal expenses, real estate and luxury vehicles.

Sen. Jordan Rasmusson (R-Fergus Falls) released the following statement:

“The Pelican Rapids community has once again fallen victim to the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. This town is full of genuine, hardworking people who support one another.

“A town of 2,500 cannot possibly utilize 6,000 meals for children daily, seven days a week. This ridiculous claim should have been flagged instantly by the Minnesota Department of Education, as a simple internet search would have revealed its impossibility. Proper oversight would have stopped this fraud before it reached this scale.

“I am extremely disappointed that our state government agencies let this obvious fraud occur.”