A Kenyan national has been indicted in the United States for his alleged role in laundering proceeds from the multi-billion shilling Feeding Our Future fraud, described as the largest pandemic-era relief scam in U.S. history.
The suspect, Ahmednaji Maalim Aftin Sheikh, is accused of conspiring with his brother, Abdiaziz Farah already sentenced to 28 years in prison to move more than $40 million (about Ksh 5.18 billion) out of the U.S. through complex laundering schemes.
Investigators say Sheikh helped funnel the money into Kenyan real estate investments, including apartments in Nairobi’s South C estate, land in Mandera, and shares in a local property firm. Court documents also detail bulk cash smuggling and encrypted messages showing transfers of hundreds of thousands of dollars at a time.
Authorities noted that Sheikh’s indictment marks the 74th arrest linked to the fraud, which exploited the U.S. child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prosecutors allege fake invoices and sham food distribution sites were used to siphon off government funds meant to feed vulnerable children.
The U.S. Department of Justice emphasized that Sheikh would face prosecution for conspiracy to commit international money laundering, underscoring the cross-border reach of the criminal network.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice / IRS Criminal Investigation
By Michelle Ndaga
