MINNEAPOLIS — More than 20 defendants dey face justice as dem jury for Wednesday afternoon find two main players guilty for all charges in a major fraud case involving Feeding Our Future.
“This na massive fraud scheme,” Erica MacDonald, former U.S. Attorney for Minnesota, talk as she commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their thorough work in the case. “Dem dey do excellent job to explain this large fraud scheme to the jury, and dem no just do am for one trial, but multiple.”
Richard Painter, law and ethics professor for University of Minnesota, also believe say more convictions go follow. “Dis kind massive fraud, hundreds of millions of dollars, no fit happen without many people involved,” he talk.
Painter express concern say cases like this dey breed mistrust among the public for nonprofit organizations wey rely on tax money. “There were red flags,” he add. “Minnesota Department of Education dey suspect say something dey wrong and no wan give funds to Feeding Our Future, but dem still convince judge say dem supposed to receive funds.”
In 2021, a Ramsey County judge side with Feeding Our Future after the state’s Department of Education try hold money from them and stop dem from opening new meal sites. “Dem ignore warning signs on Feeding Our Future, and that one dey tragic for people of Minnesota and for our country as a whole,” Painter lament.
Painter hope say dem convictions go lead to reforms and more accountability for nonprofit organizations. “For any nonprofit to collect hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer money without proper auditor wey fit check wetin dey happen with that money na wrong,” he conclude.
Since January 2022, total of 70 people don dey charge for this Feeding Our Future case. As of March 19, 37 defendants don plead guilty, and seven don dey found guilty for trial. Two don find not guilty while 23 people still dey await trial. One person don die natural cause, and at least two or three don run commot from the country.
