Man who claimed to serve 1.7 million meals in Feeding Our Future scheme pleads guilty

A 65-year-old man is the latest to plead guilty in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme.

Abdullahe Nur Jesow was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering. His trial was set to begin next month, but he pleaded guilty Thursday to money laundering.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Columbia Heights man worked with the group S&S Catering, which claimed to run food program sites. In all, the group laundered $17.4 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program money that was meant to feed hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Jesow operated a site called Academy For Youth Excellence, which said it was contracting with S&S Catering to provide food that was meant to go to children. Between December 2020 and September 2021, Academy for Youth Excellence claimed to have served more than 1.7 million meals.

The attorney’s office said Jesow’s co-conspirators received more than $4.2 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds, and Jesow himself received roughly 5% of that amount. He then returned the rest to the others via cash or check.

He is the 56th person to plead guilty in the Feeding Our Future scheme.

Aimee Bock, the ringleader of the $250 million fraud case, was found guilty in March of multiple criminal counts, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery.