Federal prosecutors used bodyguard's green card interview to pressure him for evidence against Ilhan Omar

Federal prosecutors filed a felony charge against Abdullahi Mohamed, a former bodyguard for Representative Ilhan Omar, in an effort to obtain incriminating information about the Minnesota congresswoman. Mohamed's lawyer, Bruce Rivers, described the case as an unusual gambit to bolster their case against Omar. The charge was dropped in September, but the case provides new insight into the Justice Department's efforts to build a criminal case against Omar.

The investigation into Omar focuses on whether she entered into a sham marriage to help a man suspected of being her brother obtain a green card, a claim she has repeatedly denied. Prosecutors have also been scrutinizing Omar's financial dealings. Mohamed's case reveals that investigators have been examining Omar's immigration history and financial transactions. Omar has denied wrongdoing and called the investigation a form of political persecution by President Trump.

Mohamed's lawyer said that prosecutors spent months trying to turn him into an informant to gather evidence against Omar. Prosecutors told Mohamed and his lawyer that the investigation into Omar was "100 percent being run by 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.," the address of the White House. Rivers said he had never seen anything like this in his almost 28 years practicing law in federal court.

The case against Mohamed began in October 2025 when an immigration official interviewed him as part of his green card application process. Mohamed was asked non-standard questions, including whether he had worked on behalf of the Somali government while in the United States and whether he had interacted with government officials or politicians in the US. Mohamed answered no to both questions, despite having briefly served as part of Omar's security detail during an overseas trip.

Mohamed's green card petition was denied, and in February, he received a letter from the Justice Department notifying him that he was under criminal investigation for lying to a government official under oath. The move was unusual, according to former federal prosecutors and immigration lawyers. Immigration officials routinely deny green cards if they believe an applicant has lied, but those situations seldom lead to criminal charges.

In March, federal prosecutors invited Mohamed to a meeting known as a proffer, where they asked him questions about Omar's immigration journey and marital history. The investigators offered to intervene to prevent Mohamed from getting deported if he provided derogatory information about Omar. Mohamed's lawyer said the main focus of the meeting was Omar.

The president and top administration officials have repeatedly expressed interest in investigating Omar. In March, President Trump said he hoped Omar would be investigated, calling her "one of the ringleaders." The case against Mohamed drew virtually no notice, and its link to the Omar investigation has not been previously reported.

Key points

• Prosecutors used statements made during a green card interview to pressure Mohamed for evidence against Omar.
• The investigation into Omar focuses on whether she entered into a sham marriage to help a man suspected of being her brother obtain a green card.
• Mohamed's case reveals that investigators have been examining Omar's immigration history and financial transactions.