In Minneapolis, a 'Historic' Arrest

The Justice Department's newly minted "Most Wanted Fraudsters" list has already yielded an arrest. The FBI reports that Said Abdullahi Ereg, accused of siphoning off federal child nutrition money during the pandemic, turned himself in to authorities in Minneapolis on Wednesday, per ABC News. Prosecutors allege Ereg claimed his Minneapolis grocery and deli served more than 1.4 million meals to low-income children through the Federal Child Nutrition Program, under the sponsorship of the nonprofit Feeding Our Future, and received about $4.2 million. Officials say that instead of feeding kids, however, Ereg used the funds to bankroll a "lavish lifestyle."

Ereg was charged in 2024 with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering and was added to the DOJ's "Most Wanted Fraudsters" list just six days before his surrender, an arrest FBI Director Kash Patel called "historic." A DOJ release notes that Ereg's wife, Najmo Ahmed, pleaded guilty to money laundering in February 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday. "We are committed to bringing justice for the American taxpayer through investigations like this," FBI Special Agent in Charge Chris Dotson said at a Wednesday press conference.