A Minnesota state lawmaker is requesting documents and answers from Rep. Ilhan Omar after the congresswoman did not attend a scheduled state committee hearing examining potential links to a large-scale pandemic-era fraud case.
State Rep. Kristin Robbins, who chairs the Minnesota House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee, sent a formal letter to Omar following her absence from a recent hearing focused on oversight of federal COVID-19 relief programs. Robbins said Omar had been invited to testify but did not appear or respond to the committee’s outreach.
In the letter, Robbins wrote that lawmakers were “disappointed” by Omar’s absence and said the committee would proceed by formally requesting records and written responses. The request is tied to the ongoing investigation into the “Feeding Our Future” case, a high-profile fraud scheme involving alleged misuse of federal child nutrition funds during the pandemic.
Federal prosecutors have said the broader case involves hundreds of millions of dollars in improperly obtained funds. The investigation has led to multiple indictments against individuals and organizations accused of exploiting pandemic relief programs.
Rep. Ilhan Omar crafted the bill that crafted the conditions for the Feeding our Future scandal – yet she refused to come to our committee to answer questions.
Minnesotans are fed up and deserve answers! pic.twitter.com/yOXmxfrCIv
— Kristin Robbins (@KRobbinsMN) April 23, 2026
Robbins’ letter asks Omar to provide communications related to her support for expanded access to federal nutrition programs, including emails, text messages, and meeting records with state agencies and constituents. The request also seeks documentation tied to Omar’s promotion of meal distribution sites, including a Minneapolis restaurant that was later connected to the program under investigation.
During the committee hearing, lawmakers reviewed a Somali-language television appearance in which Omar highlighted the restaurant as part of community outreach efforts tied to pandemic relief. Robbins is asking for any communications related to that appearance and the restaurant’s involvement in the program.
The request further seeks records of any contact between Omar and individuals who have been charged or identified in connection with the Feeding Our Future case, including nonprofit founder Aimee Bock and other alleged participants.
In addition, the committee is requesting information about political donations Omar received from individuals later charged in the case, including any related communications.
Robbins said the committee has previously attempted to contact Omar’s office multiple times without receiving a response. She has asked the congresswoman to submit the requested materials and answers by May 5.
Omar has not publicly responded to the letter or the document request as of this report.
The inquiry also touches on legislation known as the MEALS Act, a federal COVID-era measure aimed at expanding access to child nutrition programs. Robbins’ letter references Omar’s role in supporting expanded access and raises questions about how those policy changes were implemented at the state level.
The Feeding Our Future investigation has become one of the largest fraud cases tied to pandemic relief funding. Prosecutors allege that individuals involved in the scheme created fraudulent meal distribution sites and submitted false claims for reimbursement, diverting funds intended for child nutrition services.
Authorities have described the case as part of a broader pattern of fraud affecting pandemic-era programs nationwide, with total losses across various schemes estimated in the billions of dollars.
Omar is also facing separate scrutiny on other issues, including questions related to financial disclosures and public allegations concerning immigration matters. Those issues are not directly part of the Minnesota committee’s current request but have contributed to increased political attention around the congresswoman.
The Minnesota House committee has indicated it will continue its oversight work regardless of whether Omar provides the requested materials. Lawmakers said additional hearings and investigative steps could follow as they examine how federal funds were administered and whether policy changes contributed to vulnerabilities in the system.
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