Minnesota man marks FBI's first arrest from DOJ's 'Most Wanted Fraudsters' list

FBI Director Kash Patel announced Wednesday that Said Abdullahi Ereg, a erstwhile Minneapolis market and deli owner, had surrendered to national authorities, marking the archetypal idiosyncratic connected the FBI’s caller "Most Wanted Fraudsters" database to beryllium taken into custody arsenic national authorities proceed a nationwide fraud crackdown.

Said Abdullahi Ereg, 47, faces charges including conspiracy to perpetrate ligament fraud, ligament fraud and wealth laundering.

The FBI said Ereg, a erstwhile southbound Minneapolis market and deli owner, surrendered to national authorities little than a week aft the Justice Department unveiled its "Most Wanted Fraudsters" list, which is intended to publically place individuals charged successful large fraud cases.

"Today’s apprehension is historical – the archetypal ever apprehension of a taxable connected our Most Wanted Fraudsters List released past week with the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud," Patel said successful a statement.

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Said Abdullahi Ereg is accused of participating successful a strategy that allegedly defrauded a national kid nutrition programme of much than $4 million. (FBI)

Authorities said Ereg has been wanted connected national charges since 2024 and is fraudulently obtaining much than $4.2 cardinal from the Federal Child Nutrition Program during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to national officials, Ereg operated Evergreen Grocery and Deli, a Minneapolis market store and deli nether the sponsorship of the nonprofit Feeding Our Future.

Prosecutors allege helium falsely claimed to person served meals to children successful need, fraudulently obtained authorities reimbursements and laundered the proceeds done overseas accounts portion utilizing immoderate of the wealth to concern a lavish lifestyle.

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The FBI's caller "Most Wanted Fraudsters" database is intended to assistance instrumentality enforcement find and apprehend fugitives accused of large-scale fraud schemes. (FBI)

Court documents allege Evergreen Grocery and Deli claimed to person served much than 3,000 meals doubly daily, 7 days a week.

"Led by Vice President Vance and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, we acceptable up the historic, archetypal ever 'Most Wanted Fraudsters' database for this nonstop intent — to bring to justness the alleged worst of the worst who took vantage of American taxpayers and stole nationalist funds," Patel said.

He added that the database serves arsenic a informing that "the days of Washington, D.C., turning a unsighted oculus to fraud are over."

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FBI Director Kash Patel held a quality league astatine the Department of Justice connected Dec. 4, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc)

In a station connected X, Patel suggested the apprehension was lone the opening of a broader enforcement effort.

"This historical effect is lone the opening — and fto it beryllium a connection to immoderate fraudster who takes vantage of America, this squad volition find you," Patel said.

Federal officials said Ereg contacted authorities done his lawyer and expressed a willingness to instrumentality to the United States 1 time aft the FBI launched the "Most Wanted Fraudsters" list.

The Justice Department besides noted that Ereg's wife, Najmo Ahmed, who worked astatine the concern and received payroll payments straight from Feeding Our Future, pleaded blameworthy past twelvemonth to wealth laundering charges and is scheduled to beryllium sentenced aboriginal this month.

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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche speaks during a quality league astir the Trump administration's fraud crackdown arsenic he's flanked by national and authorities officials successful Ohio connected Thursday, June 4, 2026. (WBNS via NNS)

The apprehension comes months aft the Justice Department announced the instauration of a National Fraud Enforcement Division to enactment President Donald Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, which is led by Vice President J.D. Vance.

Fox News Digital's Stephen Sorace and Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.