A recent investigation has unveiled troubling questions surrounding Rep. Ilhan Omar, focusing on the financial dealings of her family and their political relationships. Notably, millions in public funds have been allocated to a clinic in Minneapolis that was once helmed by her sister.
Sahra Noor, Omar’s sister, served as the CEO of People’s Center Clinics & Services from 2014 until 2018. During this time, the state allocated a significant $2.2 million capital budget for the clinic after Omar began her political career in the Minnesota House.
This nonprofit, situated in Minneapolis’ Cedar-Riverside area, has received around $33 million in grants from the Department of Health and Human Services since 2002, raising eyebrows about its management.
According to reports, the People’s Center had a federal contract pharmacy agreement with Degdeg’s Carepoint Pharmacy, initiated by Noor in 2015. However, this pharmacy lost its license in 2017 and is now permanently closed.
Omar has publicly praised her role in securing funds for renovations at the clinic, which were completed in 2022. Alongside Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, she celebrated the clinic’s upgrades, which included a walk-in clinic and fitness center.
After her congressional election, Omar managed to secure an extra $1 million in federal funding for this project. In 2022, she asserted that neither she nor her immediate family had any financial interest in it, despite the clinic attributing her efforts to their funding.
The investigation also highlights Noor’s subsequent move to Africa, where she started a healthcare consultancy, Grit Partners, in Kenya, claiming to work on projects backed by USAID.
Moreover, Noor’s husband, Mohamed Keynan, has held various government roles in Minnesota and Somalia, including chief of staff to a former prime minister.
In 2020, Noor participated in a telehealth startup named Hello! Caafi, designed to improve healthcare access in Somalia, but the company’s online presence has since disappeared.
Claims regarding Omar’s previous marriage to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi have also surfaced, raising further questions about her past. Although Omar has denied any wrongdoing, an investigative journalist found evidence linking Elmi’s social media to her sister’s consulting firm.
Reports suggest that these connections may contradict Omar’s past statements and raise the possibility that her ex-husband might actually be her brother, adding layers of complexity to the investigation.
While Omar has faced extensive scrutiny, no legal action has been taken regarding these allegations to date.
