St. Paul Jury Finds Man Liable In $188K False Claims Case Tied To Child Meal Program

A St. Paul jury has found Emadeldin Ibrahim liable for violating the Minnesota False Claims Act in a civil case tied to a federally funded child meal reimbursement program, according to a Monday news release from Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office.

The verdict came after a four-day trial, and the state said the case involved $188,350 in fraudulent submissions for reimbursement under the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

The Attorney General’s Office said it brought the action on behalf of the Minnesota Department of Education and under its own authority.

According to the release, the state proved at trial that Ibrahim sought reimbursement for meals and snacks he did not deliver during March, October, and November 2021.

The jury also determined that Ibrahim submitted 90,636 false claims to the Department of Education.

The jury awarded the state $188,350 in damages. The release states that amount will automatically be trebled under the Minnesota False Claims Act.

“The False Claims Act is a civil-law tool we have for holding fraudsters accountable, and I’m gratified the jury found Ibrahim guilty for his flagrantly fraudulent conduct,” Attorney General Ellison said. “I’m proud of the team in my office that won the case and I appreciate the cooperation of the Minnesota Department of Education and federal authorities.”

Ellison’s office said it presented evidence that Ibrahim knowingly misrepresented his affiliation with the Sudanese American Community Association of Minnesota so he could participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

The office also said it showed that he knowingly submitted reimbursement claims for meals and snacks that were not served to children, along with claims for food that did not comply with federal regulations governing the program.

According to the release, the Attorney General’s Office and the Minnesota Department of Education were alerted after the Sudanese Community Association and Wells Fargo identified deposits into the association’s account that they believed were improper.

Wells Fargo then segregated the money and brought the matter to the Attorney General’s Office, which reviewed the evidence and pursued recovery under the state False Claims Act.

The case is not over. In the coming weeks, the court is expected to rule on additional civil penalties under the law and to award attorney’s fees to the Attorney General’s Office for the work involved in securing the verdict, according to the release.