California Real Estate Investor Charged With Fraud in $100 Million Bank Loan Case

Said Abdullahi Ereg, a 47-year-old former owner of Evergreen Grocery and Deli in Minneapolis, surrendered to federal authorities at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport less than a week after being placed on the DOJ's inaugural 'Most Wanted Fraudsters' list. He had been wanted since his June 2024 indictment on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, and had been living overseas with his whereabouts unknown until he contacted authorities through his attorney. Prosecutors allege Ereg falsely claimed his grocery store served 3,000 meals twice daily, seven days a week — totaling approximately 1.4 million meals — under the sponsorship of the nonprofit Feeding Our Future, fraudulently obtaining over $4.2 million in federal reimbursements. Authorities allege he laundered the proceeds through foreign bank accounts, including transfers to overseas companies, and spent funds on luxury goods and real estate. Ereg's wife, Najmo Ahmed, who worked at the business, pleaded guilty last year to money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced soon. The Feeding Our Future case has been described by federal officials as the single largest COVID-19 fraud scheme in the country, with its founder Aimee Bock recently sentenced to approximately 42 years in prison for her role in a $250 million fraud. The FBI's Most Wanted Fraudsters list includes eight individuals with alleged losses ranging from $1.3 million in mortgage fraud to $1.2 billion in healthcare fraud.