Minnesota non-profit leader convicted of $250M fraud scheme

A leader of a Minnesota non-profit has been convicted of stealing nearly $250 million in COVID-19 relief funds meant to help hungry children. Aimee Bock, 44, founded Feeding our Future and was found guilty of multiple charges, including wire fraud and bribery. Prosecutors say she used a network of fake meal programs to scam the federal government. Bock and her co-defendant, Salim Ahmed Said, created fraudulent documents to report serving millions of meals. Instead of helping children, they spent the money on luxury items like expensive cars and international travel. The scheme is labeled as the largest COVID-19 fraud in the U.S. The fraudulent activities took place during a time when the government allowed meal assistance programs to operate outside of schools due to the pandemic. Bock and her accomplices exploited these new rules. Prosecutors reported that at least 70 people have been charged in the scheme. Minnesota's Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa Kirkpatrick described Bock’s actions as reprehensible. She criticized the defendants for taking advantage of a crisis to enrich themselves. Governor Tim Walz also condemned the actions, calling for better safeguards to prevent such fraud in the future. Bock’s lawyer stated plans to appeal the verdict, arguing the jury did not properly review the evidence. Both Bock and Said remain in custody as they await sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled.