Feeding Our Future trial: Salim Said denies fraud, defends massive profits

Yahoo

18-03-2025

The Brief
Co-defendant Salim Said testified in his own defense, the final witness in the nearly six-week trial. He is on trial alongside Aimee Bock.
Said co-owned Safari Restaurant, which claimed 5,000 kids served a day for months on end, then opened other meal sites with similar claims.
He admitted he was paid millions of dollars, far eclipsing his pre-pandemic income, but claimed it was all legitimate, despite many others pleading guilty.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Prior to 2020, Salim Said painted a picture of Safari Restaurant in Minneapolis doing a thriving business, always packed and producing the same volume of food they claimed to serve kids as part of Feeding Our Future.
Under direct questioning by his own defense attorney, it was an attempt to make their meal claims sound normal.
The prosecution turned that on its head, comparing the modest income before Feeding Our Future to the millions they took in as part of it.
What he said
Salim Said admitted he made good money as part of the Federal Child Nutrition Program. He denied it was fraudulent, and denied giving kickbacks.
The jury saw videos of packaged meals to support his claims, but did not see evidence of any kids receiving them.
"We never give it to the kids," he testified. "It was the parents picking up the food for the kids."
Last week, jurors saw a short video that purported to be a line of cars outside the restaurant. Last month, an FBI agent showed surveillance video that showed no traffic. Said claimed it was constant gridlock.
"It got so busy," Said testified, "we had to have officers working. Off-duty officers, every day, seven days a week."
The other side
The government used tax returns to undermine Said's claims that Safari was able to provide that much food because they essentially did the same thing prior to COVID, producing thousands of meals a day for regular customers.
Said reported a $30,000 income before the pandemic. Safari Restaurant reported gross revenues of $624,000.
How could that be if they were making nearly as many meals?
Said claimed a lot of customers paid in cash, which prompted the Assistant U.S. Attorney to question whether he engaged in tax evasion, too. An objection put an end to that line of questioning.
"I did get a lot of money from Feeding Our Future," he admitted. But he insisted it was legitimate. He blamed wrongdoing on others, including a former business partner who pled guilty prior to the trial.
"I wouldn't have participated if I wouldn't make a profit," he said.
What's next
Said's cross-examination will continue on Tuesday morning, followed by closing arguments. It's been five weeks since opening statements and six weeks since jury selection.
Aimee Bock, the former executive director of Feeding Our Future, spent several days on the stand testifying in her own defense last week.