Feeding Our Future defendant jailed before trial after witness tampering allegations

New allegations of witness tampering

A federal judge has revoked the pretrial release of the latest defendant about to go on trial related to the $250 million fraud investigation involving Feeding Our Future.

Prosecutors with the U.S Attorney’s Office first accused Abdiwahab Mohamud of witness tampering in a motion filed last week.

FBI Special Agent Jared Kary testified Monday that the witness, identified only as Conspirator A, revealed that she had at least two “chance encounters” with Mohamud after both of them were indicted in 2022.

The terms of Mohamud’s pretrial release prohibit him from having any contact with witnesses or other defendants in the case.

Investigators say the most recent encounter with Mohamud happened in January or February of this year while the witness was sitting on a bench at Nickelodeon Universe inside Mall of America.

“He told her she was a snitch and he said words that were not loud, but threatening,” Kary said. “He made her promise not to testify.”

Prosecutors called it “strong-arming” and said the behavior is particularly troubling after an attempt to bribe a juror last year and another instance of alleged witness tampering in two previous trials connected to Feeding Our Future.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS is not identifying the witness in this case because prosecutors say she remains afraid for her safety.

Mohamud denied the allegations of witness tampering.

“There is no indication that … he has made any effort to persuade any person to do anything,” said Jason Steck, Mohamud’s defense attorney.

Mohamud is charged with wire fraud, money laundering and conspiracy connected to Feeding Our Future.

Investigators say he filled out meal count sheets falsely claiming to serve 5,000 children a day during the pandemic. Mohamud is part of a group accused of stealing more than $17 million from the federal child nutrition program.

All seven of his codefendants have pleaded guilty.

Mohamud will now await trial from behind bars.

Before revoking his pretrial release Monday, Judge Nancy Brasel reiterated her “zero tolerance” policy for the kind of behavior that “attacks the integrity of the proceedings” in her courtroom.

“I cannot ensure a fair trial if witnesses are scared to testify before a jury,” Brasel said. “I have no confidence that Mr. Mohamud will follow the orders of this court.”
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