UMVA has learned that Fahima Egeh Mahamud, the woman at the center of the infamous Feeding Our Future scandal, has been hit with fresh federal charges for allegedly pocketing $4.6 million in a separate daycare subsidy fraud scheme.
Mahamud, owner of the Future Leaders Early Learning Center in south Minneapolis, was charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States, court documents reveal. Her childcare center was allegedly used as a vehicle to funnel taxpayer cash through fraudulent claims.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Mahamud submitted more than $826,000 in reimbursement claims to Feeding Our Future for meals supposedly served to children between January and July 2021. However, federal prosecutors allege that the actual operation served only a fraction of the claimed meals.
The DOJ further alleges that fake meal count sheets, fabricated child rosters, and inflated invoices were used to justify the reimbursements. Mahamud also submitted over 13,000 claims to Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Program, seeking reimbursement for childcare services where required co-payments had allegedly not been collected.
This resulted in approximately $4.6 million in improper reimbursements, with federal investigators alleging that taxpayer money was diverted for personal enrichment, including real estate purchases and transfers to affiliated business entities.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that Mahamud’s daycare center had received $3.67 million in CCAP funding in 2025, raising questions about how her center was able to secure such large amounts of taxpayer funding.
Court documents indicate that on February 10, 2026, Mahamud notified the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families that she was abruptly closing her center. Just days later, she was found to have booked a ticket to the UK, with a return ticket scheduled for Feb. 20, 2026.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that Mahamud was arrested after attempting to flee to the UK, with authorities moving swiftly to apprehend her. Her arrest marks a significant development in the ongoing investigation into her alleged fraudulent activities.
