MDE Statement on Federal Indictments
Today’s news from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is a direct result of the persistence and diligent oversight of the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE). As noted in the press conference by the DOJ and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), MDE partnered with federal authorities and provided them critical information throughout their investigation. When MDE identified the unexplained growth of Feeding Our Future, MDE immediately reported those activities to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Midwest Regional Office, USDA’s Office of Inspector General, and the FBI until we were able to find someone who would take the troubling spending as seriously as we were. When MDE stopped payments, Feeding our Future hit back with accusations of racism and a sham lawsuit. Because of Feeding our Future’s misrepresentations in that lawsuit, a court instructed the payments to continue.
Today’s arrests will help protect the integrity of these important programs and will allow the programs to continue feeding children and families in need. MDE will continue to work with federal partners to hold bad actors accountable and improve the USDA's Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) so this does not happen again.
|
