Ahmednaji Maalim Aftin Sheikh, 28, a citizen and resident of Kenya, was indicted today in federal court on an international money laundering charge. Sheikh becomes Defendant No. 74 in the sprawling free-food scandal.
The latest indictment was announced in a press release issued by Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson.
Sheikh is the brother-in-law of Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, Defendant No. 15 in the Feeding Our Future case, and the ringleader of the Empire Cuisine group of defendants. The indictment documents that Sheikh is married to a sister of Abdiaziz’s wife.
Abdiaziz was recently sentenced to 28 years in prison in the case.
The indictment accuses Sheikh of working with his brother-in-law Farah to hide proceeds of the food fraud in Kenya. Millions of dollars stolen from taxpayers was moved to Kenya and invested in Kenyan real estate, according to the indictment.
The indictment includes photographs, exchanged between the brothers-in-law via text message, of large piles of cash. $138,000,
$270,000,
The role played by the sister (Sheikh’s wife) is discussed, but she is not named or charged in the indictment. The sister apparently sponsored Sheikh’s immigration to America, as her spouse, without success.
You will recall that Abdiaziz Farah’s older full brother, Said Shafii Farah (Defendant No. 19), was a co-defendant with Abdiaziz in the first Feeding Our Future courtroom trial held last year. Said was acquitted of all charges in the fraud trial but later pled guilty in the associated attempted juror bribery case. A mutual, younger half-brother of Abdiaziz and Said, Abdulkarim Shafii Farah, also pled guilty in the bribery case, but Abdulkarim was never charged in the fraud case.
It is believed that Sheikh remains overseas, perhaps beyond the reach of U.S. laws. For now, we will add him to our list of international fugitives in the case.
