Ex-Burnsville Grocer Pleads Guilty In 'Feeding Our Future' Scheme

BURNSVILLE, MN — A Burnsville woman and former grocer has pleaded guilty to her role in the $250 million "Feeding Our Future" fraud scheme that exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

Hoda Ali Abdi, 53, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. She is the 18th defendant to plead guilty to charges stemming from the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme.

Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Abdi owned Alif Halal, a grocery store in Burnsville. She enrolled her store as a food vendor in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future, authorities said.

Between 2021 and 2023, Abdi falsely claimed to have provided approximately $3 million worth of food for children through other co-conspirator’s sites, according to investigators.

Abdi provided these co-conspirators with fake Alif Halal invoices that purported to show that Alif Halal provided many meals when, in reality, Abdi provided little or no food, authorities said.

As part of her guilty plea, Abdi admitted that some of her co-conspirators tried to cover up the fraud by directing her to lie to investigators. She falsely reported that Alif Halal had provided food to the co-conspirators’ respective businesses, according to prosecutors.

Abdi falsely claimed to have served more than 242,000 meals to children at her Burnsville site and received $1,275,710 in proceeds as a result, investigators said.