Somali fraudsters got luxury digs, beachside resort, rented Rolls Royce and Lamborghini with stolen funds
Fraudster Liban Alishire bought a resort in Kenya with his stolen funds.Karibu Palms Resort/ Facebook
Defendants convicted in the massive Feeding Our Future fraud case used millions of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief funds to finance luxury lifestyles and international real estate investments, according to court documents and federal prosecutors.
The scheme, which targeted federal child nutrition programs during the pandemic, resulted in the theft of more than $250 million. Prosecutors say the defendants falsely claimed to be serving meals to underprivileged children across Minnesota, while diverting large sums of money to personal use.
Among those convicted was Liban Yasin Alishire, 43, who pleaded guilty in 2023 to wire fraud and money laundering. Court records show Alishire spent approximately $350,000 of fraud proceeds on a luxury resort in Kenya. The Karibu Palms Resort, located near Diani Beach along the Indian Ocean, features furnished cottages and studio apartments, a swimming pool, housekeeping services, high-speed internet, and optional private chef services. According to the resort’s website, a night in its VIP suite costs about $155.
Another defendant, Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, 36, was sentenced in 2024 to 28 years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $40 million in restitution. Prosecutors said Farah falsely claimed to have served 18 million meals at more than 30 sites in Minnesota. Using fraud proceeds, he helped finance the construction of Capital View Apartments, a four-story luxury apartment complex in Nairobi valued at roughly $1 million. The property includes three- and four-bedroom units, a gym, and parking facilities.
The overseas developments attracted attention on social media in Kenya, where a viral post showed a local content creator reacting to multiple high-end apartment buildings reportedly linked to foreign investors involved in the case.
Federal prosecutors also described the lavish spending of Aimee Bock, whom they identified as the organizer of the Feeding Our Future operation. Bock paid her former boyfriend, Empress Malcolm Watson Jr., a $1 million salary through a fraudulent contract, according to court filings. The pair rented luxury vehicles including Lamborghinis and Rolls-Royces for thousands of dollars per day and took frequent trips to destinations such as Las Vegas and Graceland.
Watson Jr., who was not charged, was accused in court filings of spending roughly $680,000 on jewelry, cars, and other luxury items. He frequently displayed the wealth on social media.
Another defendant, Ayan Jama, was convicted in February 2025 after prosecutors said she falsely claimed to have served 1.7 million meals through her Brava restaurant. Jama received more than $5 million in federal funds and used part of the money to purchase a $365,000 apartment in Turkey along the Mediterranean coast.
The U.S. Department of Justice has described the Feeding Our Future case as one of the largest pandemic-related fraud schemes in the nation. Investigators say the nonprofit funneled federal child nutrition funds to shell companies that did not provide the claimed services.
Attorney Joe Thompson, who has worked on related cases, has warned that fraud across Minnesota’s social services programs could total billions of dollars, underscoring ongoing concerns about oversight and accountability in government-funded aid programs.
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