A Minneapolis daycare operator previously charged in Minnesota’s Feeding Our Future investigation, now faces additional federal fraud charges tied to an alleged $4.6 million childcare reimbursement scheme, according to court records unsealed this week.
Federal prosecutors charged Fahima Egeh Mahamud, owner of the Future Leaders Early Learning daycare, with wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Authorities allege Mahamud received millions through Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Program, or CCAP, by submitting false reimbursement claims between October 2022 and December 2025.
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According to prosecutors, Mahamud falsely claimed that the co-payments needed from low-income families had been collected but, investigators allege, those payments were never made. Court documents state more than 13,000 claims were submitted, resulting in approximately $4.6 million in reimbursements from the state-funded childcare program.
While the charges are not a part of the broader Feeding Our Future case, it is likely connected. It was a federal investigation into alleged fraud involving pandemic-era nutrition programs in Minnesota.
Mahamud was previously accused in that investigation on allegations that her daycare falsely claimed to have served meals to large numbers of children through federally funded food programs.
Future Leaders Early Learning gained public attention after appearing in a viral video posted by YouTuber Nick Shirley, who toured around several Minnesota childcare centers which raised questions about whether some facilities were improperly receiving public funds. The video circulated widely online and intensified public scrutiny surrounding childcare and nutrition assistance programs in the state.
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Federal authorities have not mention if every daycare featured in the video is engaged in wrongdoing. However, prosecutors say Mahamud’s facility became part of an ongoing investigation into misuse of public assistance money intended to support children and low-income families.
Local television station FOX 9 previously reported that state inspectors cited Future Leaders Early Learning for several licensing violations before the center later closed in early 2026.
The Feeding Our Future investigation has become one of the largest pandemic-related fraud cases prosecuted in the United States. Dozens of people have been charged or convicted in connection with allegations that hundreds of millions of dollars intended for child nutrition programs did not reach those in need due to fraudulent claims.
Mahamud’s attorney information was not immediately available in federal court filings reviewed Wednesday. Prosecutors have not announced a trial date in the new daycare fraud case as of now.