Federal fraud charges have been brought against a Minnesota daycare owner, revealed on Wednesday. Prosecutors claim Fahima Mahamud, owner of Future Leaders Early Learning, attempted to leave the country shortly after closing her daycare center. The charges involve wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States through Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP).
The indictment states that Future Leaders Early Learning, sponsored by Feeding Our Future, falsely claimed to feed children amid the pandemic. Prosecutors allege that much of the funds intended for child nutrition were misappropriated. Mahamud stands accused of embezzling taxpayer funds meant to assist families in feeding their children. Allegations indicate her center claimed to serve 60,000 children monthly, with falsified invoices used to secure reimbursements.
The federal indictment unsealed on Wednesday reports that between January and July 2021, Mahamud’s daycare received over $850,000 from the Federal Child Nutrition Program through Feeding Our Future. Yet, only a small portion of this sum reportedly went toward purchasing food. Court documents further reveal that in 2020 and 2021, Mahamud submitted receipts claiming meals were served to 1,000 children daily, across seven days a week. Between 2022 and 2025, she is alleged to have made approximately 13,000 reimbursement claims totaling $4.6 million through CCAP without collecting required co-payments.
Future Leaders Early Learning Center attracted attention when conservative YouTuber Nick Shirley visited in December, featuring the center in a viral video. State license investigators had previously visited on November 10, 2025, issuing citations for unclean premises and missing immunization records.
In a notable move, Mahamud informed the state of the daycare’s closure in February, immediately booking a flight to London. Subsequently, in April, federal agents raided at least 20 Minnesota daycares and autism centers, though it remains uncertain whether Future Leaders Early Learning Center was among them. As the investigation unfolds, nearly 100 individuals face charges in connection with the Feeding Our Future scandal.
A Justice Department spokesperson announced a forthcoming news conference on Thursday morning, spearheaded by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Joining him will be Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This conference aims to address a major fraud enforcement action in Minnesota.