Journalist Charged In Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

MINNEAPOLIS — A local journalist has been charged in the $250 million fraud scheme involving the Minnesota-based nonprofit, Feeding Our Future. The scheme exploited a federally-funded child meals program during the COVID-19 pandemic, authorities said.

Mohamed Muse Noor, 37, was charged last week with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.

Noor was initially arrested on Sept. 26 but made his initial appearance in federal court on Friday.

Noor was president and owner of Xogmaal Media Group, a nonprofit based in Minneapolis that ran a Somali community news website, according to court documents.

Noor claimed that under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future, Xogmaal Media Group was serving free meals to up to 1,500 children every day — including weekends — authorities said.

Noor acted as the site supervisor and submitted fake meal counts that he signed, according to investigators. He also submitted fake invoices purporting to document the purchase of food to be served at the Xogmaal Media Group site, authorities said.

Noor claimed to have served approximately 580,000 meals to children at the Xogmaal Media Group site, according to investigators. From June through August 2021, Xogmaal Media Group received close to $500,000 in federal funds, authorities said.