Matt Sepic

Reporter for Minnesota Public Radio

[Matt Sepic @msepic]

@micwalker @MPRnews @TomCrann Thanks for reading and listening! Besides the web story that you saw, Tom and I did a radio segment Wednesday about the Freedom Fund claims that aired prior to and re-aired again after Tom’s interview with Rep. Emmer. I finished writing the web version later.

[Matt Sepic @msepic]

MN GOP Attorney General candidate Jim Schultz addresses a few dozen supporters after 1 am. Says race is still too close to call with 94% of precincts reporting, but remains optimistic that he’ll close the gap with DFL incumbent Keith Ellison.

[Matt Sepic @msepic]

Sentencing hearing set for Nov. 23. Kraus agreed to restitution, including for the injured victim in the dismissed assault count.

[Matt Sepic @msepic]

Nicholas D. Kraus pleaded guilty this afternoon to 2nd degree unintentional murder and 2nd degree assault in the 2021 death of Deona Marie Erickson. She’d been protesting the law enforcement killing of #WinstonSmith when Kraus crashed into a group of demonstrators.

[Matt Sepic @msepic]

As part of a plea deal, prosecutors amended count 1 to unintentional murder from intentional. They also agreed to drop a second count of assault. Kraus faces a sentence of 210 to 252 months under state guidelines. He admitted being under the influence of an illegal substance.

[Matt Sepic @msepic]

The government says the couple pocketed around $8.8 million, and allegedly spent it on luxury vehicles and paying off the mortgage on their Shakopee home. The indictment also says they paid kickbacks to FOF employee Abdikerm Eidleh, 1 of 2 defendants who left the US.

[Matt Sepic @msepic]

Federal prosecutors in Minneapolis have charged a 50th person in the alleged $250m #FeedingOurFuture fraud scheme. Abduljabar Hussein, 42, made his 1st court appearance today. He's indicted along with his wife, Mekfira Hussein, for wire fraud, bribery, & money laundering.

[Matt Sepic @msepic]

The feds say Abduljabar set up a company called Oramia Feeds, which purported to supply meals to Shamisa Hopes, which Mekfira operated under the sponsorship of #FeedingOurFuture. Mekfira allegedly claimed to feed 5,000 kids a day at 3 meal sites.

[Matt Sepic @msepic]

Felan & Yousif are the last of the 16 federal defendants charged in connection with the 2020 riot arsons to be sentenced. Most of the others are in federal prison for terms ranging from 2 to 10 years. Mohamed Hussien Abdi, Felan's other co-defendant got 5 yrs probation.

[Matt Sepic @msepic]

Judge David Doty just handed a 78-month sentence to Jose Felan Jr., 36, of Rochester, Minn., who pleaded guilty to burning 3 St. Paul buildings during the 2020 riots. Felan fled to Mexico with his wife Mena Yousif, 23. Mexican authorities arrested them early last year.

[Matt Sepic @msepic]

In court, Felan apologized for setting fires at Gordon Parks High School, a nearby Goodwill store, and 7-Mile Sportswear. Felan said he "got caught up in the chaos and made the biggest mistake of my life."

[Matt Sepic @msepic]

Hadith Yusuf Ahmed, 33, was the third defendant to plead guilty to wire fraud today. A #FeedingOurFuture employee, he admitted taking $1 million+ in bribes & kickbacks, and another $1.1m in meal funds through submitting fake reimbursements.

[Matt Sepic @msepic]

Bekam Addissu Merdassa, 40, pleaded guilty in federal court this morning for his role in the alleged $250m #FeedingOurFuture scheme to defraud USDA child nutrition programs.

[Matt Sepic @msepic]

Marekegn says she and her company took $7.1 million altogether in federal child nutrition program funds & claimed to have served 2 million meals to kids between Sept. 2020 and last fall. In court today she said she served some, but was unsure of how many.

[Matt Sepic @msepic]

Hanna Marekegn, 40, is the 2nd of 49 #FeedingOurFuture defendants to plead guilty. She must repay $5.2 million she stole through her Brava Cafe business. Sentencing guidelines call for 3 to 4 years in prison.

[Matt Sepic @msepic]

Merdassa admitted taking 10% of the stolen money for himself, and is required to pay $343,086 as part of his plea agreement. The government did not make a sentencing recommendation, but guidelines call for 2 to 2.5 years in prison + $10k to $95k in fines.