Feeding Our Future verdict: Aimee Bock and Salim Said found guilty
Feeding Our Future verdict: Defendants found guilty
The jury has reached a verdict in the trial of the suspected ringleader in the massive $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud case in Minnesota.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The jury has reached a verdict in the trial of the suspected ringleader in the massive $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud case in Minnesota.
Verdict reached
What we know:
Jurors have reached a verdict in the trial of Aimee Bock and Salim Said. Bock was the executive director of Feeding Our Future and Salim Said was the co-owner of the Safari Restaurant off Lake Street in Minneapolis – one of the supposed meal sites.
The jury found Aimee Bock guilty on all seven counts she faced, including charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery and federal programs bribery.
Said was found guilty on all 21 counts he faced, including counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal programs bribery, and conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, along with four additional counts of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Feeding Our Future verdict: US Attorney responds [RAW]
Jurors have reached a guilty verdict in the trial of Aimee Bock and Salim Said. The U.S. Attorney's Office cheered the verdict.
Judge revokes release
What's next:
After the verdict was read, Judge Nancy Brasel was set to rule on whether to allow Bock and Said to remain free until their sentencing date.
In her decision, the judge noted the Feeding Our Future scheme was based on deception, saying she couldn't be sure Bock and Said wouldn't again use deception to flee now they've been found guilty.
Bock and Said will be held in custody until sentencing.
Dig deeper:
The sentencing date for Bock and Said has not yet been set. It's unclear what
However, one of the men convicted last year on four counts was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Another convicted on three counts got twelve years behind bars.
Feeding Our Future fraud verdict: What it was like in court
Jurors have reached a verdict in the trial of Aimee Bock and Salim Said. Bock was the executive director of Feeding Our Future and Salim Said was the co-owner of the Safari Restaurant off Lake Street in Minneapolis – one of the supposed meal sites. The jury found Aimee Bock guilty on all seven counts she faced, Including charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery and federal programs bribery. Said was found guilty on all 21 counts he faced, including counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal programs bribery, and conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, along with four additional counts of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Prosecutors react
What they're saying:
Speaking shortly after the verdict, Gov. Walz thanked everyone that helped bring justice to the fraud scheme.
Gov. Walz statement
"I heard literally two minutes ago [during the budget meeting]," Walz told reporters. "This is something that is obviously very close to me because I am furious about this. I have been from the beginning. These are criminals that preyed on a system that was meant to feed children. It was organized, they continued to lie about that."
Walz thanked prosecutors, the Department of Education, the USDA, and the FBI for putting together a strong case.
Feeding Our Future verdict: Gov. Walz is 'grateful' for verdict
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says he's grateful for the Feeding Our Future fraud trial guilty verdicts.
Prosecutors speak about verdict
Speaking after the guilty verdict, Prosecutor Joe Thompson blasted Bock's and Said's actions as "brazen" and a fraud that has become "the shame of Minnesota."
"A monumental fraud that's being perpetrated on our state," said Thompson of the fraud scheme. "A brazen and corrupt scheme designed to take advantage of a program designed to feed needy children."
"A scheme that took advantage of a global pandemic," Thompson added, "a scheme that turned out to be the single largest COVID-19 fraud case in the entire United States of America."
"The Feeding Our Future case has come to symbolize the problem of fraud in our state, it has become the shame of Minnesota," Thompson continued. "Hopefully today's verdict will help turn the page on this awful chapter in our state's history."
Statement from Minnesota Department of Education
In a statement Wednesday afternoon on the verdict, the Minnesota Department of Education said:
"This case has deeply affected communities across Minnesota, and we recognize the significance of this moment.
"We are grateful for the dedication of our partners in law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for pursuing justice. The facts in this case illuminated how fraudsters and criminals took advantage of programs intended to feed children and threatened and lied to public servants who stood in their way.
"While the legal process has held criminals accountable, we know that trust in these critical programs is essential. As a continuous improvement agency, the Minnesota Department of Education remains committed to upholding the highest standards of accountability and transparency in the administration of public investments.
"Our focus continues to be centered on supporting Minnesota students. We have taken comprehensive steps to strengthen oversight, implement safeguards and ensure investments reach the children and families who need them most.
"Together with the many schools, childcare providers and community organizations that work tirelessly to ensure every child has access to the nutritious meals they need to learn and thrive, we are building a stronger, more accountable system for the future."
Verdict reached in Feeding Our Future fraud trial
The jury has reached a verdict in the trial of the suspected ringleader in the massive $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud case in Minnesota. The jury found Aimee Bock guilty on all seven counts she faced, Including charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery and federal programs bribery. Said was found guilty on all 21 counts he faced, including counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal programs bribery, and conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, along with four additional counts of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Verdict breakdown
Dig deeper:
Here is the breakdown of the counts Bock and Said faced.
Aimee Bock counts:
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud: GUILTY
- Wire fraud: GUILTY
- Wire fraud: GUILTY
- Wire fraud: GUILTY
- Wire fraud: GUILTY
- Conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery: GUILTY
- Federal programs bribery: GUILTY
Salim Said counts:
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud: GUILTY
- Wire fraud: GUILTY
- Wire fraud: GUILTY
- Wire fraud: GUILTY
- Wire fraud: GUILTY
- Conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery: GUILTY
- Federal programs bribery: GUILTY
- Federal programs bribery: GUILTY
- Federal programs bribery: GUILTY
- Federal programs bribery: GUILTY
- Federal programs bribery: GUILTY
- Federal programs bribery: GUILTY
- Federal programs bribery: GUILTY
- Federal programs bribery: GUILTY
- Federal programs bribery: GUILTY
- Conspiracy to commit money laundering: GUILTY
- Money laundering: GUILTY
- Money laundering: GUILTY
- Money laundering: GUILTY
- Money laundering: GUILTY
- Money laundering: GUILTY
Feeding Our Future fraud case
The backstory:
Prosecutors said Bock was the ringleader in the massive fraud scheme that bilked $250 million from the Federal Child Nutrition Program during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of the scheme, Feeding Our Future enlisted food vendors and restaurants which claimed to serve thousands of meals to children during the pandemic. But, authorities say those vendors either lied or inflated the number of meals they served and pocketed the excess funds.
Since the fraud was exposed in 2023, 70 people have been charged in the case. Thirty-seven defendants have pleaded guilty. Five were convicted at trial last year and and now Bock and Said have been convicted.
The other side:
At trial, both Bock and Said denied any wrongdoing in the fraud case.
In court, Bock argued she was lied to by vendors. Prosecutors also presented witnesses who were named on the nonprofit's board – but said they weren't aware they were board members until they were contacted by journalists or authorities. Bock claimed she had communicated with the members but admitted no formal meetings were held.
Said claimed he did indeed serve the meals he reported, claiming "it got so busy we had to have officers working, off-duty officers, every day, seven days a week."
However, in video shown at the trial, the FBI set up cameras around the restaurant. The video showed some meals being picked up during that time but nowhere near the 4,000 to 6,000 meals per day the restaurant claimed to serve.