Jamal Osman

Osman emailed Mayor Frey senior aide Abdi Nur Salah the Stigma-Free incorporation and financial documents plus his resignation letter, enabling the transfer of the nonprofit to FOF co-defendants

On October 7, 2020, Osman sent Abdi Nur Salah (then Senior Policy Advisor to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey) the nonprofit's incorporation and financial records along with his resignation as president. All resignation letters for board members bore identical wording. Salah then changed the board of directors, assigned a new chairman, assigned a new bank account, and transferred ownership to FOF co-defendants. This evidence was presented at the Feeding Our Future fraud trial beginning February 17, 2025.

Jamal Osman incorporated Stigma-Free International, Inc. in August 2019 alongside wife Ilo Amba and two others, listing his personal apartment as HQ; entity had no operations during his presidency

Osman incorporated Stigma-Free International in August 2019 stating its purpose was to combat mental health stigma. During the roughly 1 year he served as president, the only financial activity was a $100 initial deposit and $5/month service fee. No employees were hired and no operations conducted. HQ was Osman's personal apartment.

Federal prosecutors at the Feeding Our Future trial presented Stigma-Free International as evidence, including the October 2020 email from Osman to Salah; prosecutors alleged Osman and Amba 'founded the nonprofit as a shell company'

On February 17, 2025, during the Feeding Our Future fraud trial (U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota), prosecutors presented evidence connecting Stigma-Free International to the scheme. They alleged Osman and Amba 'founded the nonprofit as a shell company before transferring it to others.' Neither Osman nor Amba has been charged with any crime. The nonprofit was dissolved in June 2024 by court order.

Osman and Mayor Frey met with Minnesota Department of Education officials after MDE withheld payments to Feeding Our Future; talking points for the meeting were delivered to Frey through Abdi Salah

Star Tribune and darik.news reported that Mayor Frey and Council Member Osman met with MDE officials after MDE halted payments to FOF. According to court documents, talking points for this meeting were delivered to Mayor Frey through his senior advisor Abdi Nur Salah (who later pleaded guilty to FOF wire fraud). Frey denied using those talking points during the meeting.

Osman appeared on video at a Feeding Our Future celebration party boasting about introducing a resolution to pressure MDE and describing his lobbying work on FOF's behalf, while his wife simultaneously ran a fraudulent FOF meal site

At a June 26, 2021 party organized by FOF to celebrate a court victory over MDE, Osman (at 11:42 in the video) boasted that he introduced a Minneapolis City Council resolution urging MDE to allow minority/low-income communities to participate in the federal meals program, and described his lobbying work on behalf of FOF. State Senator Omar Fateh (DFL-62) also appeared at the event describing lobbying Gov. Walz's office. The video disappeared shortly after the January 2022 scandal broke and was restored after a guilty plea. At the same time, Osman's wife was operating a meal site now found fraudulent.

Osman told the Star Tribune in March 2022 he had 'never heard of Feeding Our Future' and 'gave up' the nonprofit before it became active — statements directly contradicted by the October 2020 email and June 2021 video

In March 2022, Osman told the Star Tribune he 'gave up' his role in the nonprofit in 2020 before Stigma-Free became active in the meals program, and that he had 'never heard of Feeding Our Future.' These statements are contradicted by (1) the October 7, 2020 email where he facilitated the transfer to Abdi Salah, and (2) his June 2021 video appearance at the FOF celebration party where he described lobbying MDE on FOF's behalf. Osman has since refused to answer any questions about his role in the scandal.

Osman apologized publicly in December 2022 for antisemitic and anti-gay Facebook posts made between 2011 and 2013

Minnesota Reformer reported exclusively in December 2022 that Osman apologized for making antisemitic and anti-gay comments posted on Facebook between 2011 and 2013. Osman stated the posts 'did not reflect his current beliefs and values.'

Osman co-sponsored a Minneapolis City Council honorary resolution designating July 1, 2024 as 'Somali Culture Day' celebrating the 1960 unification of Somalia, signed by nearly the full council

The Somali Week Festival Honorary Resolution was co-sponsored by Osman, Payne, Wonsley, Rainville, Vetaw, Ellison, Cashman, Jenkins, Chavez, Chughtai, Koski, Chowdhury, and Palmisano. It recognized July 1 — the date in 1960 when British Somaliland and Italian Somalia united to form the Republic of Somalia — as 'Somali Culture Day' in Minneapolis. The resolution describes the festival as 'the largest of its kind outside of Somalia.'

Minnesota Somali community organized in support of Puntland and against FGS as early as February 2025

Mshale (a Minnesota African community publication) reported on February 23, 2025 that 'Minnesota Somalis back Puntland's ISIS fight, criticize federal government.' This confirms organized Puntland-sympathetic political activity in the Minnesota Somali diaspora predating the September 2025 Osman/Hassan Sheikh allegation by 7 months.

Jamal Osman accused Hassan Sheikh of promising Mayor Frey a private jet for Mogadishu trip

@CirkaNews (Sep 23, 2025) published a Twitter-native video post in which Minneapolis City Councilmember Jamal Osman accused Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of promising Mayor Jacob Frey 'a private jet worth hundreds of thousands of dollars' for a planned trip to Mogadishu via Nairobi. Osman characterized this as an attempt to 'export Hassan's Hawiye tribal politics into Minnesota, where the majority of Somali-Americans are Darod.' Osman stated he was deliberately excluded from the trip planning as the only Somali on Minneapolis Council. Direct quote: 'This is like catching your mayor planning a trip to London without involving the only councilman from the UK. And when you confront him, he turns around and says, Don't worry, we\'ll swing by Scotland to make you feel better. It\'s ugly, divisive politics.' Tweet engagement: 23,100 views, 1,089 reposts, 115 likes.

Osman allegation timed 6 weeks before Minneapolis mayoral election as Puntland/Darod political messaging

The @CirkaNews tweet was published September 23, 2025 — exactly 6 weeks before the Minneapolis mayoral election (November 4, 2025). Osman had publicly endorsed Somali-American Darod candidate Omar Fateh for mayor against incumbent Jacob Frey. The allegation frames Frey as compromised by Hawiye/FGS President Hassan Sheikh's tribal agenda. Post-election reporting confirmed the Somali community split along clan lines: Hawiye-connected Somalis backed Frey (who won); Darod-connected Somalis backed Fateh. The allegation's tribal framing and timing are structurally consistent with Puntland/Darod-aligned political organizing targeting Darod Somali voters in Minneapolis.

Minnesota Somali diaspora split along Hawiye/Darod lines in 2025 Minneapolis mayoral election

The Star Tribune reported that the Somali community became an 'important source of support for Mayor Jacob Frey' in the 2025 election. Post-election analysis confirmed the split: Hawiye-clan-connected Somalis backed Frey; Darod-clan-connected Somalis backed Fateh. Multiple right-wing outlets amplified the story as 'tribal blood feuds in American politics.' Omar Fateh (Darod) lost to Frey. Jamal Osman (Puntland/Darod) had endorsed Fateh. The DFL had revoked Fateh's endorsement in August 2025, which Osman called 'a slap in the face for East Africans.'

Osman accused Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (Hawiye) of tribal interference in Minnesota Somali community politics, alleging Hassan promised Mayor Frey a private jet and tried to export 'Hawiye tribal politics' into Minneapolis where the majority of Somali-Americans are Darod

In early 2026, Osman publicly accused President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of trying to interfere in Somali community politics in Minnesota by 'dragging Mayor Jacob Frey into his tribal agenda.' Osman, who is from Puntland (Darod clan), said Hassan deliberately excluded him — 'the only Somali on the Minneapolis Council' — from discussions about a presidential visit. Osman alleged Hassan promised Frey a private jet worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for a Mogadishu trip. When Osman objected, Hassan allegedly offered to add Garowe (Puntland capital) to the itinerary, which Osman called 'insulting and manipulative.' Source is a Circa News tweet summarizing the story; primary article not directly confirmed. Confidence limited to medium.

Osman's political alignment on Somalia/Somaliland appears to be Puntland/Darod federalist — favoring a unified but decentralized Somalia with Puntland autonomy — rather than Somaliland independence or FGS/Hawiye loyalty; no explicit Somaliland recognition statement found

Based on: (1) self-identification as from Puntland; (2) public accusation of Hawiye President Hassan's 'tribal' interference; (3) co-sponsorship of Somali Week resolution celebrating July 1, 1960 Somali unification date; (4) appearance at Somali federal presidential candidate events; (5) no statements found supporting Somaliland independence. Osman's Darod/Puntland affiliation places him in opposition to both Somaliland secession and to the current FGS under Hawiye leadership. He represents the large Darod community of Minneapolis.