ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed two civil lawsuits against businesses and individuals accused of defrauding federal child nutrition programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lawsuits, filed in Hennepin County, target Nasib Bakery and its former owner Abshir Hossen in one case, and East African Healthcare Network and its founder Abdinasir Elmi, along with other affiliated entities and individuals, in the other. Ellison alleges the defendants violated the Minnesota False Claims Act by submitting millions in false claims to the Minnesota Department of Education.
“People and organizations that steal from government programs that are supposed to support children and vulnerable folks in our community infuriate all Minnesotans and me and erode public trust,” Ellison said. “The lawsuits we’ve filed today are the latest in our work to use our civil Minnesota False Claims Act authority to hold accountable the businesses and individuals that shamelessly exploited government food programs intended to feed Minnesota’s children.”…