Here is the moment Aimee Bock and her two attorneys arrived at the courthouse (maybe about 10:45am). Aimee Bock. Most of the time it is a for-profit organization like a grocery store or restaurant. ), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. The department began scrutinizing Feeding Our Future's site applications more carefully, and denied dozens of them. Sponsors are also responsible for monitoring each of their sites and preparing reimbursement claims for their sites. MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Forty-eight people have been charged in connection to a fraud scheme involving Feeding Our Future a scheme federal officials are calling the largest pandemic fraud in the country. We were growing in site numbers, we were growing in staff size. Minnesota State Senator Omar Fateh returns campaign contributions from donors tied to alleged Feeding Our Future fraud investigation. Ahmed Mohamed Artan, 37, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Said was an owner and operator of Safari Restaurant, a site that received more than $16 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Aimee Bock is the founder and executive director of Feeding Our Future, a nonprofit organization in Minnesota that participated in the Federal Child Nutrition Program. Bock graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2003 with a degree in elementary education. Investigators allege that in a little over 20 months, these operations fraudulently reported providing more than 125 nonexistent million meals to children. In interviews after law enforcement searched multiple sites in January, including Bock's home and offices, Bock denied stealing money and said she never saw evidence of fraud. Is that a criminal act? The non-profit also alleges that MDE changed its application process requiring new administrative and procedural hurdles, imposed restrictions on its ability to expand, withheld federal funding and has taken retaliatory action against the Feeding Our Future leadership. These indictments, alleging the largest pandemic relief fraud scheme charged to date, underscore the Department of Justices sustained commitment to combating pandemic fraud and holding accountable those who perpetrate it, said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in the news release. I believe it was his company that purchased it, and theyve owned childcare centers in the past. Aimee Bock blames a feud with the Minnesota Department of Education for a federal probe into alleged misuse of food aid. Did you witness an incident that you think we should write about? Udoibok: No. Aimee Bock (center in a white long sleeve shirt), executive director of Feeding Our Future, leaves the federal courthouse in downtown Minneapolis Tuesday evening with a garment draped over her head. Im not sure how they would determine that the money came from the child nutrition program, because by the time food distributors get the money, its their general fund money. Contact us atmembership@sahanjournal.com. Aimee Bock was one of 48 people charged in what the U.S. Attorney's office in Minnesota is calling a widespread fraud scheme involving COVID-19 funds. 5353 Gamble Dr Ste 320 . Before Aimee Bock got involved in federal food aid programs, she worked as a child care instructor. Its really hard.. Bock said the $310,000 was for the purchase of a childcare center called The Learning Journey that she founded years ago but never got around to opening. Our winter sustainer campaign is happening now! The sponsoring agency retains 10 to 15 percent of the funds as an administrative fee. Its been an expansive, ongoing multi-year project. Before joining Sahan Journal, he worked for close to a decade in New Mexico, where his reporting prompted the resignation Shari L. Gross/Star Tribune via Getty / CBS Minnesota. We did market analysis. Abdirahman Mohamud Ahmed, 54, of Columbus, Ohio, is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering. Bock and Feeding Our Future submitted these claims for reimbursement, the indictment alleges, despite knowing they were fraudulent. But when you say its a kickback, the use of the word is not supported by any evidence. And they paid $225,000 of that money in bribes and kickbacks to Abdikerm Eidleh, the Feeding Our Future employee who served as the site support manager in Willmar. That case has since been dismissed. This site claimed to have served more than 1.6 million meals and received approximately $5 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Those meals were served in the months immediately following the pandemic. Again, the meals are reimbursed. A former teacher, Bocks full name is Aimee Marie Bock. Among other things, the USDA allowed for-profit restaurants to participate in the program, as well as allowed for off-site food distribution to children outside of educational programs, the news release says. I havent read it yet, Udoibok said of the charging document. As a result of the raids last month, the FBI obtained accounting documents that Bock and Udoibok say will vindicate her and Feeding Our Future. Weinvite you to learn more about the food program and the financial benefit available to your program. Bock: If we have an invoice that just simply says breakfast, that doesnt tell me enough. In total . "The company went from receiving and disbursing approximately $3.4 million in federal funds to sites under its sponsorship in 2019 to nearly $200 million in 2021," part of the indictment read. We actually got additional services beyond the scope of what was contracted, but that money was spent legally within the realms of the program. She . They purchase the food. We paid a fair market price. Cody Fohrenkam sentenced in the killing of Deshaun Hill Jr. Black longevity depends on community health in Minnesota, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Bocks lawyer told the publication he believes the genesis of the federal investigation into Bock derived from Lomen. Speaking at a news conference Tuesday, Luger said an unspecified number of people were arrested in the morning, but some defendants are not presently in the US. We invite you to learn more about the food program and the financial benefit available to your program. Bock: Most of the folks named in the search warrants are at the for-profit level. 2023 FOX Television Stations, until WED 3:00 PM CST, Clay County, Crow Wing County, East Becker County, East Otter Tail County, Hubbard County, Mahnomen County, North Cass County, Northern Aitkin County, South Cass County, South Clearwater County, South Itasca County, Wadena County, West Becker County, West Otter Tail County, Wilkin County, until WED 6:00 PM CST, Carlton/South St. Louis Counties, Southern Lake/North Shore, a fraud scheme involving Feeding Our Future, A 49th person was charged on Monday, Sept. 26, MnDOT launches greater Minnesota trip planner for public transit, Richfield school fatal shooting: Man sentenced in Jahmari Rice's killing, Uvalde Foundation to investigate 3 St. Paul schools over recent violence, Wood From The Hood has gone out on a limb to reclaim urban wood for 15 years, Twin Cities woman celebrates defeat of rare brain cancer, Inver Grove Heights holds meeting on elevated levels of radium in water, Homicide victims cousin calls for more police in debate over safety at St. Paul schools, Police: Man convicted in arson trashes Caribou in Brooklyn Park, DNA test backlog in Minnesota causing problems for law enforcement, Deshaun Hill killing: Cody Fohrenkam sentenced in teen's murder, Final emergency SNAP benefits going out in March, Teen charged in shooting at event for Harding High School stabbing victim, Trans woman violently assaulted at Minneapolis LRT station, MnDOT awards 23 communities Safe Routes to School grants, 2 teens struck after getting out of car following crash on I-35 in Burnsville, Alex Murdaugh family home 'Moselle' recently for sale, now under contract, during murder trial, Minnesota weather: What to expect with more snow on the way. Many of these kickbacks were paid in cash or disguised as consulting fees paid to shell companies created by Feeding Our Future employees to make them appear legitimate.. I like to have a face to look at. FEEDING OUR FUTURE is an approved sponsor that makes CACFP participation easy. The indictments charge Bock with overseeing a massive fraud scheme carried out by sites under Feeding Our Future's sponsorship. If they would have asked, they would have known it was from a sale of an independent business. Coupled that with the fact that it was the week of George Floyds murder. Bock said that in 2021, Feeding Our Future completely denied 10 to 15 applications from nonprofits and partially denied countless others. Did you witness an incident that you think we should write about? The 47 defendants are charged across six separate indictments and three criminal informations with charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering and bribery, the release says. "These sites, created and operated by the defendants and others, fraudulently claimed to be serving meals to thousands of children a day within just days or weeks of being formed.". No paywalls. Bock's attorney, Kenneth Udoibok, said the indictment "doesn't indicate guilt or innocence." I dont recall the date off the top of my head. Probation and Pretrial Services Office. For one, they allege the state department fed the FBI bad information. That bad information is that Feeding Our Future grew too fast and that the number of children it reported feeding was unrealistic. Between 2018 and 2021, Feeding Our Future accessed $244 million from two U.S. Department of Agriculture programs: the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program. Instead of spending this money on feeding children, the search warrants allege nearly two dozen people defrauded the government and spent it on personal items like luxury cars, expensive real estate, and lavish trips. Feeding Our Future received more than $18 million in administrative fees to which it was not entitled, the government says. Judge John Guthmann of Ramsey County District Court ordered the department to pay $35,750 to Feeding Our Future and $11,750 in attorney's fees for failing to follow through on an earlier. Federal agents executed search warrants on more than a dozen properties connected to what FBI search warrants call an alleged pattern of deception, money laundering and fraud by a Minneapolis organization claiming to feed at-risk children. A nonprofit newsroom dedicated to reporting for Minnesotas immigrants and communities of color. The following people are named in the indictment United States v. Haji Osman Salad, et al. Our Wilmar site was delivering meals to children that live outside of Wilmar. That was happening simultaneously as Feeding Our Future was growing and needed my full-time attention. Heres Aimee Bock. Other defendants are named in different indictments. The other reality is due to the COVID pandemic, the USDA issued waivers that allow parent pickup as well as home delivery. Why is nobody asking them where their profit margins went? During the pandemic, when schoolsoften an important source of childrens mealsshut down, these reimbursements amounted to millions of dollars each month. Abdihakim Ali Ahmed, 36, of Apple Valley, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. We want to hear from you. The charges against her include wire fraud and conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery. Instead of feeding children, the money was allegedly spent for personal purposes on real estate, luxury cars, and lavish travel. Bock was the founder and executive director of Feeding Our Future. At the center of the investigation are claims about how the child nutrition program works and how the participants allegedly manipulated the money for their own purposes. The founder of Feeding Our Future and 46 others have been charged in what federal officials are calling the largest pandemic fraud in the country. Have questions about your recurring donation to Sahan Journal, want to change your donation, or want to become a sustainer? Our team will meet your site on a regular basis to provide training and technical support. Ahmed Abdullahi Ghedi, 32, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Its an unfortunate situation, Aimee Bocks attorney Kenneth Udoibok said when I asked him to address parents and children who relied on the food aid. The Department of Education then sent the meal counts to the federal government for compensation. The defendants, prosecutors said, set up a network of shell companies connected to the Minnesota-based nonprofit Feeding our Future, to exploit the federal child nutrition program, which is designed to provide meals to children from low-income families. This is a tired, worn-out building. Bock and her attorney accuse the Minnesota Department of Education of having an ax to grind against Feeding Our Future. These sites, created and operated by the defendants and others, fraudulently claimed to be serving meals to thousands of children a day within just days or weeks of being formed, the release says. RELATED | Scammers use Biden's student loan forgiveness program to steal information. If the allegation was there is a deposit of $310,000 in the account that is unaccounted for, thats a fair, objective statement. Because of that, my client is maligned, Udoibok said. 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