Wayne Lumbasi
United States federal authorities have intensified efforts to seize properties in Kenya connected to one of the largest Covid-era fraud schemes in U.S. history, estimated at Sh39 billion. The fraud involved submitting false claims to federal child nutrition programs, diverting funds meant for emergency meals for vulnerable children into private accounts and overseas investments.
The scheme, known as the “Feeding Our Future” fraud, was uncovered during the pandemic after investigators detected thousands of bogus claims for meals that were never delivered. Court filings describe a highly organised operation involving shell companies, fake food sites, and falsified invoices, which allowed the conspirators to siphon hundreds of millions of dollars from U.S. public funds.
Several key figures have been convicted or charged in the United States, and some are linked to luxury properties in Kenya. Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, the central figure, was sentenced to 28 years in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering. Liban Yasin Alishire pleaded guilty and agreed to forfeit properties purchased with illicit funds, including the Karibu Palms Resort in Diani Beach and a residential apartment building in Nairobi’s South C area. Ahmednaji Maalim Aftin Sheikh, a Kenyan national, has been charged with conspiracy to commit international money laundering and is accused of helping transfer and conceal stolen funds for Farah and other conspirators.
Other co-conspirators identified in U.S. court filings include Mohamed Jama Ismail, Mohamed Ibrahim, Abdimajid Mohamed Nur, Said Shaffi Farah, Abdiwahab Maalim Aftin, Mukhtar Mohammed Shariff, Hayat Mohamed Nur, Ahmed Yasi, and Khadar Jigre Adan. They were involved in setting up shell companies, submitting fraudulent claims, and moving funds internationally, with some of the money later used to acquire Kenyan properties.
U.S. authorities have now initiated asset forfeiture proceedings to recover these funds. While U.S. courts can order the seizure of assets, enforcing forfeiture in Kenya requires cooperation with local authorities under international legal frameworks. Kenyan courts must recognize the U.S. orders before any property can be sold or transferred.
The properties under scrutiny include high-value residential apartments in Nairobi and the Karibu Palms Resort on Diani Beach. U.S. prosecutors say these assets were purchased using funds diverted from the child nutrition program.
U.S. authorities have described the Sh39 billion fraud as “breathtaking in scale,” noting that funds intended to feed children were instead diverted to luxury assets in the United States and abroad. As investigations continue, additional properties and accounts may come under scrutiny in Kenya and elsewhere. The forfeiture proceedings are ongoing, and authorities are working to recover the stolen funds and enforce U.S. court orders internationally.
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