Lakeville man sentenced to 6.5 years in $250M Feeding Our Future fraud scheme
A 34-year-old Lakeville, Minnesota, man was sentenced to more than six years in prison for his role in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme.
Abdinasir Mahamed Abshir is the 23rd defendant to be sentenced in the $250 million pandemic fraud scheme. He pleaded guilty in March 2025 to wire fraud.
Abshir ran a site that allegedly received around $5 million in fraudulent federal funds meant to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Abshir was also accused of approaching a witness in the courthouse and asking to speak with them in the bathroom ahead of what was supposed to be his trial in February 2025. According to court documents, the witness "felt intimidated" and understood that Abshir was "trying to intimidate him."
The witness then returned to the witness room with his lawyer and confirmed with a photograph that Abshir was the man who had approached him. Abshir was scheduled for a mandatory meeting with his pretrial release supervisor that day but failed to appear.
When law enforcement agents went to Abshir's apartment, the residents informed them that they had just recently moved in, and Abshir was not living there. The court then revoked Abshir's pretrial release.
United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen says Abshir's 78-month sentence also reflects his effort to tamper with the trial.
"Today's sentence makes clear that justice is not for sale, and those who try to buy their way out of accountability will not succeed. Our office is committed to protecting American taxpayer funds," Rosen said.
