A Somali-American businessman was sentenced to 28 years in jail by a US federal court for masterminding a multimillion-dollar fraud operation utilizing stolen COVID-19 relief monies.
Some of the monies were utilized to finance the development of a 12-story luxury apartment building in Nairobi.
The 36-year-old, designated as one of the most prolific offenders in the $300-$400 million (Ksh38.8B-Ksh51.7B) Feeding Our Future program fraud, was found guilty of diverting at least $42 million (Ksh5.4B) intended for feeding poor children during the pandemic.
According to court documents and the Sahan Journal, the businessman utilized his Minnesota-based restaurant, Empire Cuisine & Deli, as a front to submit fraudulent invoices and food distribution reports.
Prosecutors claim he personally collected almost $8 million (Ksh1.03 billion), which he used to acquire expensive automobiles, live a lavish lifestyle in the UAE, and invest more than $1 million (Ksh129.2 million) in the Nairobi housing project.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel described the deception as "breathtakingly elaborate," motivated by "pure, unmitigated greed."
