FBI Expands Minnesota Probe into $250M Federal Fraud Linked to Kenya

The FBI has deployed additional agents and resources to Minnesota as part of an expanded investigation into large-scale fraud involving federal programmes, with money flows traced to overseas destinations including Kenya.

On Sunday evening, FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau was intensifying its response to what he described as extensive fraud schemes targeting taxpayer-funded initiatives. In a statement posted on social media, he said protecting public funds and ensuring support reaches vulnerable children remained a core priority. The investigation has so far resulted in 78 indictments and 57 convictions.

Prosecutors say the case involves widespread financial misconduct and deliberate efforts to interfere with the justice system. One defendant, Abdimajid Mohamed Nur, was charged with attempting to bribe a juror by offering $120,000 in cash. He and others later entered guilty pleas, receiving sentences of up to 10 years in prison and restitution orders totalling nearly $48 million.

The investigation has also been shaped by external scrutiny. A video published by American YouTuber Nick Shirley, viewed more than one million times, documented childcare centres and healthcare providers in Minnesota that appeared to receive substantial public funding despite showing little evidence of active operations. While these claims have not been tested in court, they have added to questions about oversight and enforcement.

Central to the case is the “Feeding Our Future” programme, established during the pandemic to provide meals to children. Federal prosecutors allege that more than $250 million was misappropriated through this and related schemes, making it one of the largest fraud cases in U.S. history. Court filings state that some of the proceeds were transferred abroad and invested in real estate projects in Kenya, including developments in Eastlands and coastal areas.

The investigation has unfolded amid heightened political tension. President Donald Trump has publicly linked fraud allegations to Minnesota’s Somali community and ended certain legal protections for Somali immigrants in November. His statements have been criticised by community leaders, particularly given that Minnesota has the largest Somali population in the United States, estimated at more than 100,000 in 2025.