Partners in Nutrition to pay $18.5M to settle Minnesota food aid fraud claims

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has reached an $18.5 million settlement with the nonprofit Partners in Nutrition (PIN) following allegations of fraud involving federal child nutrition funds. The settlement, filed in state court, involves the nonprofit dissolving itself and paying its remaining assets to the state.

The civil lawsuit alleged that between October 2020 and February 2022, PIN submitted false claims to the Minnesota Department of Education for millions of meals that were never delivered to children. The investigation suggests that approximately $54 million in federal funds were diverted to various food sites, including Mind Foundry Foundation and Minnesota’s Somali Community, which were run by individuals who have since pleaded guilty to fraud.

This case mirrors the high-profile Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. While no employees of Partners in Nutrition have been criminally charged in connection with the larger federal investigation, the Attorney General’s office stated that it continues to investigate various individuals and entities affiliated with the organization for violations of the Minnesota False Claims Act.