Hennepin County judge shuts down more fake child nutrition nonprofits

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Attorney General's Office announced Thursday another 17 fake nonprofits have been shut down for defrauding the Federal Child Nutrition Program.

This comes as the trial for the massive Feeding Our Future fraud continues to be prosecuted in federal court.

The Attorney General's Office said that a Hennepin County judge ordered the fake nonprofits to be shut down after an investigation revealed that "officers and directors of the nonprofits misused nonprofit assets, had no legitimate nonprofit activities, and failed to cooperate with the Attorney General’s investigation or to respond to the lawsuit."

The investigation reportedly determined that the so-called nonprofits showed evidence of misuse in bank records, gave abandoned or false addresses and were all created around the start of the pandemic to capitalize on the Federal Child Nutrition Program.

The Attorney General’s Office said the following "nonprofit defendants" were dissolved by court order:

• Academy for Youth Excellence

• African Chamber of Commerce Education

• Gedo Community Services

• Hobyo Health Care Foundation

• Hope Academy for Youth & Women Empowerment

• Minnesota African Chamber of Commerce

• Minnesota’s Somali Community

• Multiple Community Services, MCS

• Optimum Community Services

• Somali American Faribault Education

• South West Metro Youth

• Stigma-Free International

• The Free Minded Institute

• United Enrichment with Heart

• Unity Social Service

• Youth Higher Educational Achievement

• Youth Inventor’s Lab

The Attorney General's Office also filed 23 complaints in October 2023 against charities in Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota, Stearns, and Rice Counties. Six of those entities, Advanced Youth Athletic Development, Bet On Better Future, Community Enhancement Services Inc., Serving Younger Generation, Urban Advantage Services, and Xogmaal Media Group and Xogmaal Media Services resolved the complaints voluntarily.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison released a statement saying, "The leaders of these 17 nonprofits harmed public trust in charities by pocketing funds intended to feed children. After thorough investigations, we successfully shut down these sham nonprofits to ensure they can never be used for fraudulent purposes."

Officials say anyone who has knowledge of the misuse of nonprofit resources can share information online.

Information on laws regulating nonprofits can be found here.

The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office can also be contacted at (651) 296-3353 (Metro area), (800) 657-3787 (Greater Minnesota) or (800) 627-3529.