The recent departure of four key prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota has cast a shadow over a significant $250 million fraud case. Their exit, part of a broader trend involving more than a dozen resignations, raises concerns about the future of the office and its ability to handle ongoing legal battles.
With these departures, the office now reportedly has as few as 17 assistant U.S. attorneys, a drastic reduction from the 70 attorneys employed during the Biden administration. The four former prosecutors—Joe Thompson, Harry Jacobs, Daniel Bobier, and Matthew Ebert—were a critical part of the Feeding Our Future fraud case, which has emerged as the initial focal point in a larger Minnesota fraud scandal.
Harry Jacobs, who recently assumed the role of head of the office’s criminal division, has also been involved in significant cases, including the prosecution of Vance Boelter, the individual accused of murdering former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband.
Insiders attribute the recent exodus to various factors, including overwhelming caseloads, structural challenges within the office, the lasting impact of the previous administration, and the contentious Operation Metro Surge—an immigration enforcement initiative in the Twin Cities that has led to thousands of arrests and tensions with demonstrators, resulting in fatalities.
“The mass exodus we’re seeing in Minnesota is alarming,” stated Stacey Young, founder of Justice Connection, a Washington, D.C.-based organization of former Justice Department employees. “We should all pay attention to why some of the state’s top federal prosecutors chose to leave; it had nothing to do with political disagreement. Rather, this administration asked them to violate their legal and ethical responsibilities, and they believed that leaving was their only option. The loss of institutional knowledge and expertise will destabilize the U.S. Attorney’s Office, leaving Minnesotans’ safety and rights less protected.”
Even before the onset of Operation Metro Surge, the office had already experienced significant attrition. By the time Daniel Rosen was sworn in as U.S. Attorney in October 2025, the number of prosecutors had dwindled to fewer than 40, a result of retirements and changes initiated by the previous administration, which included cuts associated with the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE.
In an effort to bolster the Minnesota office, the Justice Department has sought assistance from neighboring districts, including Michigan, as well as attorneys from the Department of Homeland Security and military legal teams. However, these efforts have not always gone smoothly. A DHS attorney recently expressed frustration in court, stating, “this job sucks,” and requested to be held in contempt to secure a full night’s rest. She was subsequently removed from her assignment in Minnesota.
The Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office has declined to comment on the situation, and inquiries regarding the number of attorneys deployed from the Eastern District of Michigan have also gone unanswered.
To date, federal prosecutors in Minnesota have secured convictions against 62 individuals linked to the fraud scandal, which stands as one of the most significant COVID-era fraud cases in the nation. Prosecutors estimate that taxpayer losses from these fraudulent activities may surpass $1 billion.
The Feeding Our Future scheme involved a nonprofit organization that deceived state and federal officials into funding meals for thousands of children, which were never actually provided. This organization is believed to have fraudulently obtained $250 million.
The final trial related to this case is set for April, with defendants including Ikram Yusuf Mohamed, Suleman Yusuf Mohamed, Aisha Hassan Hussein, Sahra Sharif Osman, Shakur Abdinur Abdisalam, Fadumo Mohamed Yusuf, and Gandi Yusuf Mohamed, all facing charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, and bribery.
Currently, the prosecution is being led by Rebecca Kline and Matthew Murphy, both of whom joined the office in January 2024 after previous experience in private practice.
In addition to the Feeding Our Future case, other fraud cases have emerged in recent months. In August, state officials terminated a housing program aimed at assisting seniors and individuals with disabilities due to “large-scale fraud.” Subsequently, in September, eight individuals were charged for defrauding this program by posing as providers and submitting millions in fraudulent claims.
Before his departure, Joe Thompson, the former First Assistant U.S. Attorney known for announcing the indictments, revealed that federal prosecutors are investigating approximately $18 billion spent on social programs in Minnesota since 2018. When asked about the potential for fraud, he indicated that they had “seen more red flags than legitimate providers,” suggesting that as much as half of that amount may involve fraudulent activities.
