Your correspondent was there this afternoon for a sitting of the federal fraud trial USA v. Fidhin (File No. 25-cr-334). Burnsville restauranteur Muna Fidhin, owner of the now-defunct M5 cafe, is facing ten (10) felony counts, including wire fraud, bribery, and money laundering.
This is my second visit to sit in on the Fidhin trial, which began on October 5 and is scheduled to run until October 23. Prosecutors say she received $656,000 from the free-food program.
Today was Day 6 of the trial, as it resumed following an extended holiday weekend break. I watched some of the testimony for the prosecution from an IRS agent. I also caught the beginning of the agent’s cross examination.
The portion of the testimony I saw dug into some of the alleged money laundering by Fidhin, involving a $310,000 mortgage repayment on a home in Savage, a $49,000 Lexus SUV purchase, and $15,000 wired back to Somalia by Fidhin. Prosecutors allege this money represents proceeds of the food fraud.
The IRS agent’s appearance consumed the entire day, and the trial will resume tomorrow morning.