In a shocking conclusion to the nation’s largest COVID-19 relief fraud case, a Minnesota jury has found the ringleader guilty on all counts. The massive $250 million scheme diverted taxpayer money meant to feed hungry children during the pandemic into luxury cars, properties, and personal bank accounts instead.
At a glance:
• Aimee Bock, founder of Feeding Our Future, convicted on all counts in $250 million pandemic fraud scheme
• The fraud represents the largest COVID-19 relief theft in U.S. history
• Co-defendant Salim Ahmed Said also found guilty; both ordered held without bail
• Only $60 million of the stolen $250 million has been recovered by authorities
• 70 people charged in the scheme with 37 already pleading guilty
Massive Fraud Network Exposed
Aimee Bock, the founder of Feeding Our Future, was found guilty on all counts related to orchestrating the largest pandemic relief fraud in U.S. history. The scheme involved stealing a staggering $250 million from a federal program designed to provide meals to children in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bock was convicted alongside co-defendant Salim Ahmed Said, owner of Safari Restaurant, who prosecutors said pocketed approximately $5 million from the scheme. The jury deliberated for just 13 hours before delivering their verdict, finding both defendants guilty on charges including conspiracy, wire fraud, bribery, and money laundering.
Prosecutors Detail “Reprehensible” Actions
Prosecutor Lisa Kirkpatrick didn’t mince words when addressing the scope of the crime during the trial. “It was the largest COVID fraud scheme in the country, and what Bock and her co-defendants did was reprehensible,” Kirkpatrick told the court.
“During COVID, while so many were trying to be helpers, Bock and Said were thieves,” Kirkpatrick added. The fraud was so extensive that authorities have only managed to recover approximately $60 million of the stolen $250 million.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel held Bock and Said without bail pending sentencing, citing concerns over possible witness tampering and an alleged attempt to bribe a juror during the trial.
Widespread Corruption and Ongoing Prosecutions
The case against Bock and Said is just one part of a much larger web of corruption, with 70 defendants charged. So far, 37 defendants have already pleaded guilty, while five others were convicted in a previous trial.
Evidence showed that Bock personally pocketed nearly $2 million, while enabling others to steal much more. Prosecutors demonstrated how Bock’s organization enrolled fake meal sites throughout Minnesota, submitted fraudulent reimbursement claims for meals never served, and falsified documentation to cover their tracks.
The case has drawn criticism of Minnesota’s governance and oversight capabilities, with many questioning how such massive fraud could continue unchecked for so long. Democratic Governor Tim Walz called for better safeguards in government programs while noting that no state officials were implicated in the criminal scheme.
