Authorities: Feeding Our Future suspect tried to flee after St. Paul raid

Another person faces charges in the sprawling million Feeding Our Future fraud scenario after she allegedly tried to flee the U S following a raid at a St Paul office federal officials say is tied to the scheme Hibo Daar of Eden Prairie is the st person to face charges in the circumstance after her arrest Sunday by federal officials at Minneapolis St Paul International Airport She remained in custody Wednesday night ahead of a Friday hearing before a federal judge in Minneapolis Daar had bought tickets to Dubai the same day media reports publicized an FBI raid at an office suspected of connections to Feeding Our Future prosecutors allege in a criminal complaint unsealed this week in Minnesota U S District Court Search of St Paul nonprofit The FBI served a search warrant at the offices of the New Vision Foundation at Vandalia St in St Paul last week a nonprofit with ties to Feeding Our Future Minnesota Population Radio stated The court documents do not directly tie Daar to the foundation Daar was a target in the overall Feeding Our Future study according to the federal complaint Law enforcement first contacted her about the review in April in connection with a federal grand jury analysis Federal prosecutors say the now-defunct Feeding Our Future nonprofit collected payments for millions of meals that partner groups never served during the pandemic The organization has been shut down since the FBI raided its offices in January Prosecutors described it as the largest instance of federal pandemic aid fraud Daar s meal site Northside Wellness collected about million from Feeding Our Future but only spent about on food prosecutors allege It started operating in November By January forms filed by the group claimed it fed more than children The numbers continued to grow At one point Northside claimed to be feeding meals to children per week In April it informed serving meals a day Daar signed off the forms and emailed maintains to convicted Feeding Our Future ringleader Aimee Bock according to the complaint Rather than serve meals Northside made payments to Daar and others according to the complaint Daar received about from the group federal leadership allege Target of inquiry When administration started communicating with Daar this spring they narrated her she likely was a target in the study and could face criminal charges according to the complaint When news broke of the search at New Vision Foundation she bought a ticket to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates which was scheduled to depart on May and return on June FBI Special Agent Travis Wilmer wrote in the complaint that based on his experience people buying round-trip tickets will sometimes do so to hide the fact that they do not intend to return Daar faces a wire fraud charge and remains in federal custody at the Sherburne County Jail ahead of a detention hearing Friday Her attorney couldn t promptly be reached for comment Magistrate Judge David T Schultz ordered she remain in custody at her initial appearance on Tuesday Besides Daar federal leadership have charged people in the episode since September As of March had pleaded guilty including Bock were convicted at trial and two have been acquitted A review by the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor revealed inadequate oversight at the Minnesota Department of Learning created an opportunity for massive fraud to take place Related Articles One person revived the Memorial Day flags tradition at Fort Snelling National Cemetery Here s why U of M researchers are planting survivor trees in hopes of defeating Dutch elm disorder Judicial cookout for the homeless renamed for late founder Jim Randall In th year Rick s Bike Sale surpasses K in donations for Dakota County nonprofits Circumstances action group schedules first Ward candidate forum for Tuesday