Rochester Restaurant Group Member Sentenced in Feeding Our Future Fraud Case

Zamzam Jama received 6 months in prison for money laundering as part of the $250 million scheme.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 10:33pm

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Zamzam Jama, a 34-year-old employee of Brava Restaurant & Cafe LLC in Rochester, Minnesota, was sentenced to 6 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $491,245 in restitution for her role in the Feeding Our Future fraud case. Jama pleaded guilty in February 2025 to a charge of money laundering after using over $111,000 in fraudulent funds to purchase a Toyota RAV4 and a home.

Why it matters

The Feeding Our Future fraud case was a sweeping $250 million scheme that involved over 70 defendants across Minnesota who fraudulently claimed to be feeding thousands of children per day through the Federal Child Nutrition Program during the COVID-19 pandemic. This case highlights the scale of fraud that occurred and the ongoing efforts to hold those responsible accountable.

The details

According to court records, Brava Restaurant began submitting weekly meal count sheets to Feeding Our Future in October 2020, claiming the site fed thousands of children each day. However, the indictment alleges the restaurant only had a small fraction of the claimed food costs. Zamzam Jama, who worked at Brava, was one of six people from the restaurant business indicted in September 2022 for their roles in the fraud.

  • Brava Restaurant began submitting weekly meal count sheets to Feeding Our Future in October 2020.
  • Zamzam Jama was indicted in September 2022 along with five other Brava Restaurant employees.
  • Jama pleaded guilty to money laundering charges on February 5, 2025.
  • Jama was sentenced on March 31, 2026 to 6 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $491,245 in restitution.
  • Jama must surrender to the U.S. Marshal Services in Minneapolis on June 2.

The players

Zamzam Jama

A 34-year-old employee of Brava Restaurant & Cafe LLC in Rochester, Minnesota who was sentenced to 6 months in federal prison for her role in the Feeding Our Future fraud case.

Brava Restaurant & Cafe LLC

A Rochester, Minnesota restaurant business that was indicted in September 2022 for fraudulently claiming to feed thousands of children per day through the Federal Child Nutrition Program during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Feeding Our Future

The organization that received the fraudulent meal count sheets and reimbursement claims from Brava Restaurant as part of the $250 million fraud scheme.

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What’s next

The sentencing of Sharmake Jama, another principal of Brava Restaurant, is scheduled for April 7, 2026.

The takeaway

This case highlights the massive scale of fraud that occurred through the Feeding Our Future scheme, which exploited federal pandemic relief funds meant to feed children. It also demonstrates the ongoing efforts by authorities to hold all those involved accountable for their crimes.