Rep. Ilhan Omar has finally addressed the growing questions swirling around her possible ties to Minnesota’s massive Feeding Our Future fraud case.
She pushed back hard against claims she knew about the scheme, pointing the finger at policies from Donald Trump’s first term.
“Any claim that I had knowledge of this scheme is flat-out false,” Omar said in a statement to media houses on Wednesday, May 20.
She described the fraud as “reprehensible” and said she sent a letter demanding answers from the USDA the moment it came to light.
MEALS Act Signed Into Law by Trump
The Minnesota congresswoman also highlighted that the MEALS Act she helped pass was signed into law by Trump himself in 2020 as part of coronavirus relief efforts, adding that it had bipartisan support.
She said Trump’s USDA secretary at the time set up the rules for how the program would run during the pandemic.
The Feeding Our Future scandal stands as one of the largest fraud cases tied to federal COVID relief.
Prosecutors say organizers submitted false meal claims that were never served, pocketing more than $250 million intended to feed children. Some of the money was used for luxury cars, jewelry, and other personal expenses.
Aimee Bock’s Explosive Interview
Aimee Bock, one of the people convicted in the case, told the New York Post from jail earlier this month that Omar “was in on the scam” and had to have known what was happening.
Those accusations have fueled fresh scrutiny of the congresswoman’s connections in the Minnesota Somali-American community, where the nonprofit operated.
Omar has pushed back against any suggestion that she looked the other way. She said she has always worked to make sure kids don’t go hungry and blamed loose oversight during the emergency pandemic waivers for creating openings that fraudsters exploited.
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However, the House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee, led by Republicans, released a final report last week that sharply criticized both the Walz administration and the changes brought by the MEALS Act.
They argued the law removed key guardrails by allowing for-profit restaurants to join the program and by allowing “grab-and-go” meal distributions, which made it almost impossible to verify whether meals were actually delivered to children.
Invitations to Testify Went Unanswered
Committee chair Rep. Kristin Robbins said Omar never responded to an invitation to testify about what she knew.
Democrats on the panel blocked an effort to subpoena her. Robbins told Fox News Digital that Omar’s latest statement doesn’t add up.
She noted that Omar had previously sent letters urging officials to keep the waivers in place, which Robbins believes allowed the fraud to continue longer.
“She only sent a letter once the fraud was exposed,” Robbins said. “Prior to that, she sent letters urging the administration to keep the waivers in place. Sounds like revisionist history.”
The scandal has embarrassed Minnesota Democrats, starting with Gov. Tim Walz, whose administration has faced heavy criticism for failing to catch the fraud early despite red flags.
The state report described a broader “culture of tolerance” that allowed fraudsters to steal billions across multiple programs during the pandemic.
Omar’s office has responded, noting that a former staffer contacted the committee to defend the MEALS Act and to place responsibility for federal oversight under Trump.
Critics see this as an attempt to shift blame away from local implementation and the congresswoman’s own promotion of participating restaurants in Minneapolis.
Feeding Our Future was supposed to provide meals to children who lost access to school lunches during lockdowns.
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Instead, federal investigators say the operation turned into a cash machine. Dozens of people have been charged. Several have already pleaded guilty or been convicted, including Bock.
The case has taken on national political overtones, especially with the fact that Tim Walz was the Democratic vice presidential candidate in 2024.
Republicans have used the scandal to attack the whole of Democratic governance on fraud oversight during the COVID years. Omar’s prominent role as a member of the progressive Squad has made her a frequent target.
In her statement, Omar said stealing money meant for vulnerable children to fund lavish lifestyles is unacceptable and praised the convictions of those involved.
