MINNEAPOLIS — A former bodyguard for Rep. Ilhan Omar was indicted on a rarely used charge of lying under oath during a green card interview, then spent months being questioned by federal prosecutors who were far more interested in the Minnesota Democrat than in him, according to a New York Times report published Wednesday, Nov. 11. The man, Abdullahi Mohamed, testified before a Washington grand jury investigating Omar in September; the very next day, prosecutors moved to drop his case, citing his "anticipated removal from the United States." He has since left the country. His lawyer says prosecutors told him the Omar investigation was "100% being run by 1600 Pennsylvania Ave."

Key Takeaways

• The charge: Abdullahi Mohamed, a former Omar bodyguard with Somali and British citizenship, was indicted in early 2026 for allegedly lying under oath during a green card interview, the New York Times reported.
• The pressure: His lawyer says prosecutors focused their questions on Omar, including her immigration history, her marriages and a $10,000 payment, and offered help with his deportation in exchange for damaging information.
• The exit: Mohamed testified before a Washington grand jury on Sept. 3; prosecutors moved to dismiss his case the next day, and he left the United States soon after.
• The responses: The Justice Department said the case was "completely unrelated to any current investigations," while Omar's office called the alleged offer "a staggering abuse of presidential power."

From a Green Card Interview to a Federal Indictment

According to the Times, which cited court records and Mohamed's lawyer, Minneapolis defense attorney Bruce Rivers, the case began in October 2025 when Mohamed sat for an immigration interview after marrying an American citizen in Minnesota. Rivers says his client was asked unusual questions, including whether he had "any interactions with any government officials or politicians in the United States." Mohamed answered no. Rivers says his client has limited English and did not understand the question. The green card petition was denied.

In February 2026, Mohamed received a Justice Department letter informing him he was under criminal investigation for lying under oath, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. The case was handled by two senior prosecutors in the U.S. attorney's office in Minnesota, the chief of the criminal division and the head of the fraud and public corruption section, according to court records cited by the Times. Former federal prosecutor Ryan Wood told the paper that such a charge is "all but unheard-of" for a green card interview.

"Give Us Everything and Anything"

In March, Mohamed attended a proffer meeting in Minneapolis, where prosecutors offered immunity, Rivers said. The main subject, according to the lawyer, was Omar. Investigators asked about her journey from Somalia, her marital history, including a 2009 marriage that has long drawn fraud rumors, and whether Mohamed knew whom she had been married to.

Investigators also asked whether he knew about a $10,000 payment involving Omar and Mohamed's brother, which Rivers said investigators described as a possible bribe. Court records do not explain the government's theory, and Mohamed later told prosecutors his brother had said the money settled a loan, according to the Times. Rivers says investigators offered to help stop his client's deportation if he provided derogatory information about the congresswoman, describing their approach as "give us everything and anything" and "a fishing expedition without a lot of direction."

A grand jury indicted Mohamed in early April, Rivers said, and a trial was set for Oct. 26. In August, the government placed him in deportation proceedings. On Sept. 3, he testified before a Washington grand jury reviewing the Omar investigation. The next day, prosecutors asked a judge to dismiss the charge. Soon after, Mohamed left the country. Reached by phone in Nairobi, Kenya, he declined to comment, saying he would speak "when the time is right." Rivers maintains his client had no incriminating information about Omar.

"Coming From the White House"

The most explosive claim in the report comes from Rivers, who said prosecutors told him the Omar investigation was "100% being run by 1600 Pennsylvania Ave." He said one prosecutor, whom he declined to name, "told me that this was coming from the White House." The Times reported no White House response to that claim.

The Justice Department declined to answer questions about the case, saying in an emailed statement that the matter was "completely unrelated to any current investigations." The criminal division chief who handled the case resigned the same week it was dismissed, writing in an email that "no immediate concern or issue precipitated this decision."

Omar's Office: "Blatant Weaponization"

Omar spokesperson Jackie Rogers told the Times that Omar had never directly employed Mohamed. She called the alleged immigration offer "outrageous" and "a staggering abuse of presidential power and a blatant weaponization of the full federal government." Rogers declined to say whether Omar had any involvement in the $10,000 transaction. Omar has denied wrongdoing and has called the federal investigation political persecution by President Donald Trump.

A Widening Federal Probe

The revelations land as the federal investigation into Omar intensifies. According to the Times, federal agents searched Omar's Washington home last month, and subpoenas have compelled people close to her to testify before a grand jury. Prosecutors are reviewing her family's immigration history, including whether she entered a sham marriage to help a man suspected of being her brother obtain a green card, an allegation she has denied. Investigators are also examining her financial dealings.

The probe has deep political roots. In March, at an Oval Office event launching an anti-fraud task force led by Vice President JD Vance, Trump said he hoped Omar would be investigated and called her "one of the ringleaders." Later that month, Vance said he had discussed Omar's case with Stephen Miller, who was named White House chief of staff last week.

What It Means

Omar won a fifth term in Congress on Nov. 3, and with Democrats taking control of the House in January, the investigation is likely to become a flashpoint in the fight over the Justice Department's independence. Incoming Democratic committee chairs have already promised aggressive oversight of the administration.

The Times also reported that veteran attorneys left the Minnesota U.S. attorney's office earlier this year over its handling of the immigration crackdown. For critics, the Mohamed case raises a pointed question: whether an obscure immigration charge was used as leverage to build a case against a sitting member of Congress. For the administration, which insists the cases are unrelated, the burden will be to show the investigation stands on its own. No charges have been filed against Omar.