Minnesota Jury Convicts Leader in $250M COVID Fraud \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ A Minnesota jury convicted Aimee Bock, founder of Feeding Our Future, in a $250 million COVID-19 relief fraud case. Bock and co-defendant Salim Ahmed Said were found guilty on all counts of conspiracy, wire fraud, and bribery. The scheme, the largest COVID fraud in U.S. history, stole funds meant to feed children in need.
Minnesota Jury Convicts Leader in $250M COVID Fraud — Quick Looks
- Aimee Bock found guilty in $250 million COVID-19 relief fraud case.
- Bock led Feeding Our Future, central to the massive fraud scheme.
- Co-defendant Salim Ahmed Said also convicted of fraud and money laundering.
- The case is the largest pandemic relief fraud prosecution in U.S. history.
- Prosecutors say Bock pocketed nearly $2 million, Said around $5 million.
- Thirty-seven others have pleaded guilty; five were convicted in 2023 trials.
- The scheme targeted programs meant to feed children during the pandemic.
- Attempted juror bribery and witness tampering further marred the case.
- U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel ordered Bock and Said held without bail.
- Authorities have recovered only $60 million of the stolen $250 million.
Deep Look
In a stunning conclusion to what federal prosecutors have called the largest COVID-19 relief fraud scheme in U.S. history, a Minnesota jury found Aimee Bock, founder of the nonprofit Feeding Our Future, guilty on all counts Wednesday. The verdict brings to a close a case that has both enraged the public and embarrassed state and federal agencies for their inability to detect and prevent the theft of $250 million meant to feed vulnerable children during the pandemic.
Bock, 44, was at the center of a complex and audacious fraud that diverted pandemic relief funds from programs designed to provide meals to children in need. Alongside her was co-defendant Salim Ahmed Said, 36, former owner of Safari Restaurant in Minneapolis. Both were convicted of conspiracy, wire fraud, bribery, and in Said’s case, money laundering.
Throughout the six-week trial, federal prosecutors described how Bock and her co-conspirators operated an elaborate scheme that created fictitious meal sites, inflated meal counts, and filed fraudulent claims with the government. Prosecutors said Bock pocketed nearly $2 million, while Said allegedly stole around $5 million.
The scheme operated under the guise of humanitarian work, exploiting federal pandemic relief funds during a time when millions of Americans were struggling. Instead of feeding children, funds were funneled into luxury purchases, expensive real estate, jewelry, and other personal indulgences.
The scandal also exposed shocking interference with the justice process. In an earlier related trial, individuals linked to the defendants attempted to bribe a juror with a bag containing $120,000 in cash. The juror promptly alerted authorities, leading to heightened security during Bock’s trial.
Even so, witness tampering allegations emerged during Bock’s proceedings. Abdinasir Abshir, a defendant awaiting trial, reportedly approached a government witness in a courthouse bathroom, attempting to influence testimony. The witness reported the encounter to his attorney and prosecutors. Abshir subsequently agreed to plead guilty to wire fraud, with his tampering attempt factored into his sentencing recommendations.
Lisa Kirkpatrick, acting U.S. attorney for Minnesota, condemned Bock’s actions in a post-verdict press conference. “During COVID, while so many were trying to be helpers, Bock and Said were thieves,” she said. “They used a time of crisis as their golden opportunity to enrich themselves and their criminal partners — outlandishly so. At every step, Bock fought to keep her fraud scheme going. Today, her efforts to lie, blame others, and escape responsibility came to an end.”
Lead prosecutor Joe Thompson echoed that sentiment, calling the scheme “brazen and corrupt,” and expressing hope that the verdict would help repair Minnesota’s tarnished reputation. “The Feeding Our Future case has come to symbolize the problem of fraud in our state. It has become the shame of Minnesota,” he said.
The scheme impacted not only government funds but trust in public systems. Feeding Our Future, once perceived as a charitable organization dedicated to helping children, became a symbol of greed and exploitation. The nonprofit filed hundreds of claims for child meal reimbursements, many of them fabricated, and used those proceeds to fund lavish lifestyles.
The scale of the fraud was enormous. Of the $250 million stolen, federal authorities have recovered only $60 million. The remaining $190 million remains unaccounted for, highlighting the difficulty of tracking and retrieving stolen government funds.
Thirty-seven defendants have already pleaded guilty, with five convicted in previous trials. Several others await trial in what continues to be one of the most complex and significant white-collar prosecutions in U.S. history.
Minnesota’s political leadership has also been thrust into the spotlight. Governor Tim Walz has faced criticism, particularly from Republicans, for what many see as his administration’s failure to detect and stop the fraud earlier. At a press conference following the verdict, Walz expressed both frustration and resolve: “I remain furious with criminals that preyed on a system meant to feed children. We must do more to ensure such exploitation can never happen again.”
Bock’s attorney, Kenneth Udoibok, has signaled plans to appeal the conviction. He suggested the jury’s relatively short deliberation time — just a few hours after weeks of testimony — did not allow sufficient consideration of the evidence. “There will be an appeal,” Udoibok told the Associated Press.
The sentences for Bock and Said are expected to be severe, with federal sentencing guidelines suggesting decades in prison are likely. The judge has not yet scheduled sentencing dates, but both defendants were ordered held without bail, underscoring the seriousness of the charges and their convictions.
The Feeding Our Future scandal stands as a cautionary tale about the risks of rapidly deployed federal relief programs without adequate oversight. As the U.S. government scrambled to provide emergency support during the pandemic, gaps in monitoring and verification allowed bad actors to siphon off funds meant for society’s most vulnerable.
Federal officials say the case is far from over. Additional defendants will face trial in the coming months, and authorities remain focused on recovering as much of the stolen money as possible.
For the people of Minnesota, the verdict marks a pivotal moment in restoring public trust — but also serves as a stark reminder of how systems designed for good can be manipulated by those seeking personal enrichment at the expense of the public.
Minnesota Jury Convicts
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