A federal judge sentenced Aimee Bock, founder and executive director of Minnesota nonprofit Feeding Our Future, to 500 months in prison—over 41 years behind bars—for orchestrating a $250 million fraud scheme that exploited the Federal Child Nutrition Program during the pandemic.
Bock was convicted earlier this year for her role in a scheme that falsely claimed to have served 91 million meals and fraudulently received nearly $250 million in federal funds. She is also ordered to pay $243 million in restitution.
The organization’s federal funding surged from about $3.4 million in 2019 to nearly $200 million by 2021, with Feeding Our Future opening more than 250 food-program sites across Minnesota. Prosecutors stated the scheme’s proceeds were used for luxury vehicles, real estate in Minnesota, Ohio, Kentucky, Kenya, and Turkey, as well as international travel.
Bock was convicted on wire fraud, conspiracy, bribery, and federal programs bribery counts. Co-defendant Salim Said was convicted on wire fraud, bribery, money laundering, and related conspiracy counts.
Federal prosecutors had sought a 50-year sentence for Bock, arguing the scale of the theft demanded punishment that would deter others who viewed taxpayer-funded benefit programs as easy money.
This case has become a national benchmark for pandemic-era fraud enforcement. Nearly 80 people have been charged in connection with Feeding Our Future, and over 60 have either been convicted or pleaded guilty. The sentencing follows the administration’s push for broader federal crackdowns on fraud in government benefit programs, with Minnesota drawing intense scrutiny as part of a nationwide effort to protect taxpayer funds.
