Said Abdullahi Ereg, Named on FBI’s New Most Wanted Fraudsters List, Turns Himself In
In a major early win for the FBI’s newly launched “Most Wanted Fraudsters” list, Said Abdullahi Ereg has become the first fugitive from the roster to be taken into custody.
On June 10, 2026, just six days after being added to the list, 47-year-old Ereg surrendered peacefully to FBI agents at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport upon landing from overseas. He contacted authorities through his lawyer the day after the list’s release expressing his desire to return to the United States.
Ereg owned and operated Evergreen Grocery and Deli in Minneapolis. He faces federal charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with Minnesota’s massive Feeding Our Future scandal.
Prosecutors allege that between April 2020 and April 2021, his business fraudulently claimed to have served over 1.4 million meals to children through the Federal Child Nutrition Program. The operation received more than $4.2 million in taxpayer funds, which Ereg allegedly used largely for his family’s lavish lifestyle and transferred to foreign accounts.U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen and FBI officials praised the swift resolution, noting strong coordination with international partners in Kenya, Somalia, and Britain. Director Kash Patel called the arrest “historic” – the first from the new fraud-focused list.
Ereg’s case is part of one of the largest pandemic relief fraud investigations in U.S. history. Authorities continue pursuing others involved to recover stolen funds.
The FBI offers a reward of up to $150,000 for information on remaining fugitives and encourages tips at tips.fbi.gov or 1-800-CALL-FBI.
#FBI #Wanted #BreakingNews #News #USNews #USA #Fraud #FraudCharges