President of local school sentenced for multi-million childcare benefits fraud

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The president of a vocational and language school located in the Rolando neighborhood was sentenced Wednesday to more than two years in federal prison for his role in a fraud scheme that took millions of dollars from state childcare benefits programs.

Mohamed Muriidi Mohamed, 47, of Spring Valley, was one of four people involved with the UMI Learning Center who were charged by San Diego federal prosecutors last year for fraudulently taking money from the "Alternative Payment Program/Stage 2 Childcare" program funded by the state's Department of Health and Human Services.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the defendants falsely claimed that parents were working at or attending UMI Learning Center, when the parents weren't actually taking part in classes or working at the school.

Muriidi also sent out paychecks to parents so it appeared they were working at UMI, but advised parents not to cash the checks.

Childcare providers also submitted false childcare attendance forms, which claimed the children of UMI Learning Center's workers or students were being cared for, according to prosecutors.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, childcare providers split benefit-program funds they received with the parents, and the parents were expected to pay $200 to UMI Learning Center in exchange for the fraudulent childcare attendance forms.

The fraud caused more than $3.7 million in childcare benefits program funds to be paid out to 150 households by Child Development Associates and the Young Men's Christian Association, the two contractors in San Diego that administer the childcare benefits program funds from the state's Department of Health and Human Services, prosecutors said.

Along with 27 months in prison, Muriidi was ordered by a judge to pay $3.7 million in restitution to Child Development Associates.

Muriidi's co-defendants have all pleaded guilty, including his wife, 41-year-old Amina Abdirazak Omar, who is slated to be sentenced later this year. Amina Omar's sister, Osob Abdirazak Omar, 33, was sentenced to one year in custody, and her brother, Omar Omar, 26, was sentenced to 90 days in custody.

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