Two Found Guilty in $250 Million Scheme That Ripped Off Pandemic Food Program for Children

A nonprofit founder and a restaurant owner used a network of fraudulent meal distribution sites across Minnesota to steal federal funds.

Aimee Bock (C), director of the nonprofit Feeding Our Future, arrives at the Minneapolis federal courthouse with her attorney, Ken Udoibok (R) on March 19, 2025. Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP

A federal jury in Minnesota has convicted two individuals for orchestrating a scheme to steal $250 million from a federal program meant to feed children in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The jury on Tuesday heard arguments against Feeding Our Future founder Aimee Bock and former restaurant owner Salim Said in what prosecutors call one of the largest fraud cases targeting pandemic relief programs. On Wednesday, they returned guilty verdicts on all charges.