MINNEAPOLIS -- A Minnesota man who is the target of a federal investigation for misappropriating federal child nutrition program funds has been charged with passport fraud.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says 49-year-old Mohamed Jama Ismail of Savage and other co-conspirators used shell companies to funnel millions of dollars to various individuals involved in the scheme.

Between May 2020 and January 2022, Ismail and others are accused of taking more than $30-million intended to feed thousands of children per day.

Federal officials say receipts of international wire transfers show hundreds of thousands of dollars being sent to China and Kenya.

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In January, federal officials raided Ismail's home and seized his passport. They say he applied for a replacement passport, indicating on his application that he lost his other one and had filed a police report on the matter.

Ismail was arrested at Minneapolis International Airport Wednesday as he was attempting to board a flight to Kenya, using the replacement passport.

 

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