Latest news with #SafariRestaurant
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Yahoo
A Minnesota nonprofit leader has been convicted in a $250M pandemic fraud scheme: What to know
The leader of a Minnesota nonprofit was convicted Wednesday for her role in a scheme that stole $250 million from a pandemic relief program meant to feed children. Aimee Bock, founder and executive director of Feeding Our Future, was one of 70 people charged in the case, which federal prosecutors say is one of the nation's largest pandemic-related frauds, USA TODAY reported. Bock's co-defendant, Salim Ahmed Said, owner of the now-defunct Safari Restaurant in Minneapolis, was also convicted following the joint six-week trial. Lisa Kirkpatrick, who is Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota, said in a news release that Bock and Said "falsely claimed to have served 91 million meals, for which they fraudulently received nearly $250 million in federal funds." "That money did not go to feed kids," Kirkpatrick said. "Instead, it was used to fund their lavish lifestyles. (Wednesday's) verdict sends a message to the community that fraud against the government will not be tolerated.' Here's more about the case, the jury's verdict and what comes next. At trial, prosecutors explained that Feeding Our Future employees recruited people to open Federal Child Nutrition Program sites across Minnesota that "fraudulently claimed to be serving meals to thousands of children a day within just days or weeks of being formed," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota. Bock and Said created and submitted fraudulent meal counts with fake attendance rosters with names and ages of children who supposedly received meals at the sites each day. Feeding Our Future submitted those documents to the Minnesota Department of Education, then disbursed the fraudulently obtained federal funds to their co-conspirators. In total, Feeding Our Future fraudulently obtained and disbursed more than $240 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds, which the defendants used to pay for luxury vehicles, real estate and international travel. Bock was convicted of four counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of bribery and one count of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery. Said was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, four counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, eight counts of bribery, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and five counts of money laundering. U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel ordered Bock and Said to be held without bail ahead of their sentencing, though no date was immediately set, The Associated Press reported. The scheme relied on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Federal Child Nutrition Program, which provides meals to children in need. The program, which expanded during the pandemic, let for-profit restaurants run federally funded food distribution sites as long as a nonprofit organization sponsored them, USA TODAY reported. Minneapolis FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. said: "Stealing from the federal government is stealing from the American people – plain and simple. The egregious fraud uncovered in the Feeding our Future case represents the blatant betrayal of public trust." IRS Special Agent in Charge Ramsey Covington, of the Chicago Field Office, said: "This verdict is the product of dedicated investigators and prosecutors to bring accountability to those who brazenly stole from the American public. (The IRS) is deeply committed to working with our partner agencies to combat these types of fraud schemes and ensure our American tax dollars serve their intended purpose.' Bryan Musgrove, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service's Denver Division, said: "The bold egregious nature in which these fraudsters victimized our children and programs intended to feed them during a worldwide pandemic illustrates their callous disregard for human decency and overall greed. This investigation is a tremendous example of how the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our FBI law enforcement partners can work side by side in an effort to bring these fraudsters to justice.' This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: What we know about the Feeding our Future Minnesota Covid fraud scheme
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Aimee Bock, Salim Said found guilty on all counts in Feeding Our Future trial
A federal jury has found Feeding Our Future founder Aimee Bock and Salim Said, the co-owner of Safari Restaurant, guilty on all counts for their roles in a $250 million COVID-19 fraud scheme. Bock, 44, of Apple Valley, was found guilty on all seven counts, which were: Three counts of wire fraud One count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud One count of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery One count of federal programs bribery Said, 36, of Plymouth, was found guilty on all 21 counts he faced, which were: Four counts of wire fraud Nine counts of federal programs bribery Five counts of money laundering One count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud One count of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery One count of conspiracy to commit money laundering It follows a trial that saw a jury subjected to five weeks of evidence of their involvement of a sprawling fraud scheme that has led to 70 people being charged, with the nonprofit Feeding Our Future at its center. The pair will be jailed until they are officially sentenced, which will be set for a later date. Bock's Feeding Our Future would distribute federal funds to food vendors, such as Said's Safari restaurant, with the intention they would provide meals to hungry kids during the COVID-19 pandemic. But some vendors vastly inflated the number of children they said they were serving, maximizing the payouts from the federal government at a time the country was struggling through the pandemic. Prosecutors argued that meal site providers would pay kickbacks to Bock and other Feeding Our Future employees so that they would inflate meal counts. Bock is estimated to have gained almost $2 million from the scheme, while Said raked in around $5.5 million via payments for a series of meal sites he set up through his restaurant, spending the money on luxury items such as cars and a mansion. The investigation found that the Minnesota Department of Education received at least 30 complaints regarding Feeding Our Future or its sites starting in June 2018 – pre-pandemic – and continuing until December 2021, a month before the FBI conducted a series of raids on properties linked to the nonprofit.
The Independent
19-03-2025
- The Independent
Minnesota jury convicts alleged ringleader of massive pandemic food fraud scheme on all counts
A jury found the alleged ringleader of a massive pandemic fraud case in Minnesota guilty on all counts Wednesday for her role in a scheme that federal prosecutors say stole $250 million from a program meant to feed children in need. Aimee Bock — the founder of Feeding our Future, the group that prosecutors say was at the heart of the plot — was one of 70 defendants charged in the overall case, said to be one of the country's largest frauds against COVID-19 relief programs. The Minnesota case has also drawn attention for an attempt to bribe a juror in an earlier trial and witness tampering in Bock's trial, which began last month. Thirty-seven defendants have already pleaded guilty, while five were convicted in a group of defendants who were tried last year. The jury also convicted a co-defendant, Salim Ahmed Said, the owner of the now-defunct Safari Restaurant in Minneapolis. Bock and Said were charged with multiple counts involving conspiracy, wire fraud and bribery. Said was also charged with money laundering. Bock allegedly pocketed nearly $2 million, while Said was accused of taking around $5 million. They both maintained their innocence and testified on their own behalf. In closing arguments, prosecutors said the evidence showed that Bock and Said exploited the chaos of the early days of the the pandemic by submitting falsified paperwork to enrich themselves and failed to provide anywhere near as many meals to needy children as they claimed. Defense attorneys did not dispute that there was massive fraud but insisted that their clients were not responsible for it. Bock's attorney said she was deceived by dishonest people and tried cut them off whenever she suspected fraud. Said's attorney blamed his client's business partner. Federal prosecutors alleged that the conspiracy revolved around Feeding Our Future and another small nonprofit that were approved as sponsors of the Federal Child Nutrition Program before the pandemic. They dramatically grew as the pandemic took hold. Feeding Our Future went from receiving and disbursing $3.4 million in federal funds in 2019 to nearly $200 million in 2021. Food sites sponsored by Feeding Our Future falsely claimed to be serving thousands of children daily, prosecutors allege. Besides fraudulently obtaining and disbursing more than $240 million in federal funds, prosecutors say, Bock and other Feeding Our Future employees also solicited and received bribes and kickbacks from other participants connected with the alleged pay-to-play scheme. The defendants are being tried in several groups. The first trial was marred by an alleged attempt by some defendants and people linked with them to bribe a juror with a bag of $120,000 in cash. That juror went straight to police. That led to tighter security for Bock's trial, and additional precautions ordered by U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel. Despite all that, an allegation of witness tampering surfaced midway through Bock's trial. A defendant slated for trial in August approached a government witness who was due to testify against Bock and Said and asked to speak with him in a courthouse bathroom. That witness declined and instead told his lawyer, who informed prosecutors. Abshir soon agreed to plead guilty to a wire fraud charge and to have his tampering attempt factored into a longer sentencing recommendation, which isn't binding on the judge.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Yahoo
Feeding Our Future trial: Salim Said denies fraud, defends massive profits
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.
CBS News
19-02-2025
- CBS News
Feeding Our Future witness tampering claim leads judge to issue defendant restrictions in Aimee Bock trial
A federal judge on Wednesday ordered defendants in all upcoming cases stemming from a major COVID-19 pandemic fraud case in Minnesota to stay away from her courtroom after allegations of witness tampering surfaced in the trial of the alleged ringleader. Prosecutors say the scheme stole $250 million from a federal program meant to feed children. Aimee Bock, who founded and led the now-defunct nonprofit, went on trial this month with Salim Said, a former co-owner of Safari Restaurant in Minneapolis, for their alleged roles in the scheme. Sixty-three others face similar charges, 30 of whom have pleaded guilty. Five people have already been convicted. U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel imposed the restrictions a day after Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson made the allegation. He said in court after testimony ended Tuesday that the alleged attempt was especially troubling in light of an attempt in June to bribe a juror in the first trial of defendants in the sprawling fraud case, which centers on a group called Feeding Our Future. Prosecutors have called it one of the country's largest pandemic-related fraud cases. The first trial was marred by an alleged attempt by some defendants and people linked with them to bribe a juror with a bag of $120,000 in cash. The juror went straight to police. Five people were arrested and charged in that case. "Here we find ourselves again with people trying to corrupt our process," Thompson told the judge. Thompson said a defendant who's slated for trial later this year, Abdinasir Abshir, approached a witness in the courthouse hallway while testimony was underway Tuesday and asked to speak with him in a bathroom. That witness, Sharmake Jama, the former owner of Brava Cafe in Rochester, pleaded guilty earlier along with four family members and agreed to testify against Bock and Said. Jama told his lawyer about the approach, who in turn informed the U.S. Attorney's Office. "I just want to be clear — witness tampering is a crime and a serious one," Brasel said. "And that's what we are trying to prevent here. I don't know what occurred here today but I am going to find out." Brasel said she would interview Jama about the incident along with a federal marshal who witnessed some of the conversation, and one of the prosecutors. In her order Wednesday, Brasel said all defendants charged in the upcoming cases must contact her chambers 24 hours in advance if they want to attend the current or other trials. This would allow the court to set up an overflow viewing location on a different floor of the federal courthouse in Minneapolis. She prohibited those defendants from coming to the floor where her courtroom is located. Abshir's attorney did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Wednesday. The judge on Tuesday ordered Said and Bock not to speak with any witnesses or co-defendants in the case. The two are not in custody, and Brasel threatened to jail them if they violated the order.
