A federal judge on Wednesday allowed a man convicted in the Feeding our Future case to travel to east Africa to sell property in order to make restitution payments. Liban Alishire is among at least three defendants whom courts have allowed to make limited overseas trips.
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That order was despite objections from prosecutors, who argued that there aren't any conditions ensuring Alishire's return to the U.S. for sentencing and he has motive to flee.
In February 2022, the United States (US) government uncovered money laundering syndicates involved in stealing Covid-19 relief funds from the US and transferring them to Kenya. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation found that between February 2020 and February 2022, US$250-million was illegally transferred through banks, real estate agencies and other financial institutions in Kenya. The money was used to buy beach plots, luxury vehicles and holiday homes, among other things.