For more than four years now, Kenya has appeared in international headlines for reasons far from positive. The country became a destination for part of $300 million stolen from US taxpayers funds intended to feed vulnerable children in Minnesota during the Covid-19 pandemic. Some of the money was used to purchase luxury properties in Nairobi and a high-end beach resort on Kenya’s coast. US authorities are now pursuing some of these assets for seizure, though legal and jurisdictional limits make the process complex.
The scandal first came to light in September 2022, when 47 people were indicted in Minnesota. Among them were Aimee Block, founder of the NGO Feeding Our Future, and her alleged co-conspirator, Salim Said. By late 2024, the number of indicted individuals had grown to 77. Many had already pleaded guilty or been convicted. One of them, Liban Yasin Alishire, admitted guilt in January 2023. He agreed to surrender assets, including a Nairobi apartment and the Sh27.9 million Karibu Palms Resort in Diani Beach.
Another central figure, Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, a former refugee, was convicted in June 2024. In October, a US judge sentenced him to 28 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Farah had purchased real estate in Kenya, including a high rise apartment in Nairobi. Some of the fraud proceeds were routed through China, placing them outside US jurisdiction. The Department of Justice (DoJ) confirmed it could not seize these international assets, highlighting the challenges of tracking globally mobile illicit funds.
How the Scam Operated
To understand the scandal, one must look back to 2020, when Covid-19 disrupted life worldwide. The US Federal Child Nutrition Program, run by the Department of Agriculture (USDA), was designed to provide free meals to children in need. In Minnesota, the state Department of Education administered the program, reimbursing authorised sponsors for meals served and allowing them to keep a 10–15% administrative fee.
Feeding Our Future became one of these sponsoring organisations. During the pandemic, the USDA relaxed certain rules, permitting for profit restaurants to participate and enabling off site food distribution. Aimee Block’s organisation quickly capitalized on this. Disbursements jumped from $3.4 million in 2019 to nearly $200 million in 2021. Hundreds of sites were listed, many of which never served a single meal. Fake rosters, invented children, and fraudulent documentation were used to claim reimbursements.
The DoJ described the scheme as “a fraud that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the Covid-19 pandemic.” More than 250 sites were involved. Proceeds funded luxury vehicles, properties in the US, Kenya, Turkey, and extravagant international travel. The scheme moved rapidly, exploiting the urgency of the pandemic and lax oversight.
Major Convictions and Financial Fallout
Abdiaziz Farah, labeled a scheme leader, defrauded US taxpayers of at least $47 million. He enrolled Empire Cuisine & Market in the program, opened fraudulent sites, and falsely claimed to serve thousands of children daily. After attempting to obtain a new passport to flee to Kenya, Farah was swiftly apprehended and later sentenced.
Liban Yasin Alishire enrolled two firms under the program, submitted false reimbursement claims, and transferred $216,300 (Sh27.9 million) toward the Karibu Palms Resort in Diani. Another convict, Abdimajid Mohamed Nur, received a 10-year prison sentence and must pay $48 million in restitution. Nur laundered proceeds through shell companies in both the US and Kenya. He spent the money on luxury cars, jewellery, a Maldives honeymoon, and even committed academic fraud to earn an online degree.
Altogether, more than 70 individuals played roles in this elaborate scam. Some managed fraudulent sites, while others assisted with laundering or transferring proceeds internationally. The DoJ noted that the scheme relied on speed, fake documentation, and exploiting relaxed pandemic rules. While the financial loss is enormous, the human impact children missing meals remains the most poignant consequence.
Kenya’s Role and Global Implications
Kenya’s involvement in this case highlights its unintentional role as a destination for illicit funds. While US authorities can seize some properties, many remain beyond reach due to legal and jurisdictional limitations. Shell companies, offshore accounts, and luxury real estate enabled the fraudsters to move money across borders.
The case underscores how international fraud can evade regulatory oversight. Billions of shillings were invested in Kenyan properties, raising questions about financial monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. Real estate, particularly high value properties, has become an attractive vehicle for laundering money derived from global fraud schemes.
This scandal exposes vulnerabilities in both US and Kenyan systems. While the US struggled to verify program sites during the pandemic, Kenya’s property and financial frameworks absorbed illicit wealth. The situation emphasizes the need for greater transparency, accountability, and enforcement in cross border financial transactions.
Lessons for the Future
The Feeding Our Future scandal serves as a warning. Even well-intentioned programs are vulnerable to exploitation. Crises, like pandemics, can create opportunities for fraudsters to manipulate systems for personal gain. Countries like Kenya, where the proceeds were spent, become indirect participants in these global crimes.
Stronger oversight, robust financial tracking, and international collaboration are critical. Governments must detect suspicious inflows early. Citizens also play a role in demanding transparency and ethical use of resources. Without vigilance, public programs designed to help vulnerable populations risk being exploited.
The scandal also highlights the human cost. Children who should have received meals went without, while perpetrators enjoyed luxury lifestyles abroad. Kenya’s experience demonstrates that global crimes have local and international consequences.
Going forward, tighter regulations, transparency in financial systems, and careful monitoring of high value property transactions are essential. International cooperation must remain strong to prevent similar schemes from exploiting public programs and vulnerable communities.
Ultimately, this case underscores the need for vigilance, ethical governance, and accountability across borders. Pandemic relief programs or any initiative designed to support the vulnerable must be safeguarded. Kenya’s inadvertent role in the laundering of these funds offers lessons for both domestic policy and international collaboration. By addressing these gaps, governments can prevent fraud, protect public resources, and ensure that aid reaches those who truly need it.
Follow Our WhatsApp channel for more updates like this
