Charity with NFL Ties Faces Scrutiny Amidst Fraud Concerns
A charity organization, the Human Development Fund (HDF), supported by the National Football League (NFL) and promoted by some Muslim figures, is under examination due to connections its founders have to a major fraud case. The HDF, which says it provides meals to orphans in Gaza, has links to individuals involved in the “Feeding Our Future” scandal, where millions of dollars meant to feed needy children in Minnesota were stolen.
Abdirahman Kariye, the founder and CEO of HDF, is also an imam at Dar Al-Farooq, a mosque near Minneapolis. This mosque was a distribution site for the Feeding Our Future program. Khalid Omar, HDF’s director of fundraising, is also a director at Dar Al-Farooq.
In 2021, during the height of the fraud, Omar and Kariye publicly praised Aimee Bock, the founder of Feeding Our Future, for her leadership. Omar called her a “fighter” for the program, while Kariye criticized the Minnesota Department of Education for allegedly hindering the food distribution program.
These previously unreported links between HDF and individuals involved in the Feeding Our Future fraud raise concerns, especially as HDF becomes a major U.S. charity operating in Gaza. Founded in 2023, HDF reportedly raised $33 million in its first year. The NFL’s “My Cause My Cleats” program, where players promote charities, is expected to give HDF a financial boost. Several NFL players are raising money for HDF through this program.
Dar Al-Farooq’s connection to the Feeding Our Future case became public when Mukhtar Shariff, a member of the mosque who oversaw food distribution, was charged in 2022. Shariff laundered millions of dollars through a company that shared an address with HDF’s Minnesota office.
Both Kariye and Omar testified at Shariff’s trial in 2024. Prosecutors claimed that Kariye gave false testimony about food distribution at Dar Al-Farooq. Shariff was found guilty and sentenced to prison for stealing millions of dollars. He testified that he had been friends with Kariye for many years and that another individual involved in the fraud, whom Shariff described as a respected member of Dar Al-Farooq, introduced him to the scheme.
Another official from Feeding Our Future testified that he received “kickbacks” for giving Dar Al-Farooq preferential treatment. A school official testified that Omar pressured her to approve a statement claiming that Dar Al-Farooq distributed an inflated number of meals per day.
Kariye, Omar, Dar Al-Farooq, and HDF have not been formally accused of any wrongdoing.
The Feeding Our Future scandal has caused political ripples in Minnesota. The state’s Attorney General, Keith Ellison, has faced scrutiny due to his connections to the program and its participants. In 2021, Ellison met with community leaders and Feeding Our Future officials to discuss issues with the food distribution program. He assured them that he was “here to help.”
Weeks before this meeting, Ellison had been photographed with Kariye and another imam from Dar Al-Farooq.
This situation highlights the importance of ensuring that charitable organizations are transparent and accountable, especially when dealing with public funds and vulnerable populations. It also raises questions about the vetting process for charities promoted by high-profile organizations like the NFL.
