Arrest of Hibo Daar Linked to Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme
Background on the Feeding Our Future Case
The Feeding Our Future case has attracted significant media attention, shining a spotlight on what authorities describe as one of the largest COVID-19 fraud schemes in the United States. Initiated in 2022, the Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged 70 individuals with allegations of misappropriating approximately $250 million by filing fraudulent claims related to federal child nutrition programs. The scheme reportedly exploited funds aimed at providing meals to underserved children during the pandemic.
Recent Developments in the Investigation
On a notable Sunday evening, FBI agents arrested Hibo Daar at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport as she attempted to board a flight to Dubai. This arrest came shortly after extensive searches were conducted at the New Vision Foundation in St. Paul, which is under scrutiny in relation to the Feeding Our Future investigation. The search drew media attention, inciting public curiosity and concern regarding potential ongoing fraud activities.
Profile of Hibo Daar
Hibo Daar, a resident of Eden Prairie, was the executive director of the Northside Wellness Center, based in Minneapolis. Under her leadership, the center allegedly received over $1.7 million from the Feeding Our Future program. Notably, Daar is not associated with the recently searched nonprofit in St. Paul but is embroiled in the broader scheme linked to fraudulent claims.
Details of the Fraud Allegations
In the federal warrant for her arrest, law enforcement outlined severe allegations against Daar and the Northside Wellness Center. They claimed that the center filed inaccurate invoices while reporting the serving of "hundreds of thousands" of meals to children, with little evidence to substantiate these figures. Astonishingly, of the $1.7 million received, only about $2,000 was used for food expenses.
Instead of distributing meals, much of the funding appears to have been siphoned off to individuals and non-existent vendors. This misuse encompassed purported payments made to alleged fake food vendors, alongside kickbacks paid to ensure continued sponsorship from Feeding Our Future in the program.
Contractual Relations and Financial Mismanagement
The warrant notes that Daar engaged in contracts with Feeding Our Future from October 2020 through at least October 2021. This collaboration raised eyebrows given the reported financial irregularities. For instance, Northside Wellness Center allegedly paid $72,000 to Hadith Ahmed, a former Feeding Our Future employee who has since pleaded guilty to fraud-related charges. His testimony implicates the payments as kickbacks rather than legitimate consulting services, casting further suspicion on Daar’s operations.
Federal prosecutors allege that Northside Wellness Center also transferred about $500,000 to another entity identified as a fake vendor within the scheme, indicating a systematic strategy for financial fraud.
Investigative Actions and Legal Proceedings
Authorities first subpoenaed Hibo Daar to testify before a grand jury regarding her involvement in the federal child nutrition program. However, she refused to cooperate, instructing investigators to communicate instead with her attorney. This reluctance to engage with federal authorities may have contributed to concerns over her potential flight risk.
Following her arrest, Daar made an initial court appearance, where she claimed she hadn’t traveled in two years. Nonetheless, federal records countered this assertion, revealing she had traveled to multiple countries, including the UAE and Oman. As a result, the court issued an order for her continued custody.
Ongoing Investigations
The investigation remains active, with federal prosecutors keen on unraveling the extent of the Feeding Our Future fraud. The scrutiny over potential new developments is pivotal, especially after the announcement of Daar’s arrest, marking a critical juncture in the investigation that continues to evolve as more individuals are implicated.
This instance not only highlights the gravity of the allegations against Hibo Daar but also serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and integrity in federal programs designed to assist vulnerable populations, particularly during unprecedently challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic.
