Second Rochester resident enters guilty plea for role in Feeding Our Future fraud scheme

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Second person from Rochester pleads guilty in Feeding Our Future scheme

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(ABC 6 News) — On Friday, a second Rochester resident entered a guilty plea for her role in the Feeding Our Future scheme.

Related: One of four people from Rochester in “Feeding Our Future” fraud scheme pleads guilty

According to court documents, Ayan Jama pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering.

The court documents state that from around December 2020 through January 2022, Jama knowingly participated with others in a fraudulent scheme to obtain and misappropriate millions of dollars in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

Jama was a principal of Brava Restaurant and Cafe in Rochester and controlled its bank accounts.

Ultimately, Jama, through Brava Restaurant, claimed to serve more than 1.7 million meals in Rochester. The restaurant received $4.3 million from Feeding Our Future as well as over $900,000 from Salim Said’s Safari Restaurant.

According to the court documents, Jama used federal child nutrition funds to pay for personal expenses, including approximately $254,041 toward a home in Rochester, $168,000 toward a home a Columbus, Ohio, and $356,795 toward the purchase of a property on the Mediterranean Coast in Alanya, Turkey.

Jama faces 20 years in prison for one count and 10 years for another.

A sentencing date has not been set.