Feeding Our Future co-defendants Bock, Said found guilty on all counts in meal fraud trial

A federal jury found two co-defendants guilty on all counts for their roles in the sprawling Feeding Our Future meal fraud scheme.

Aimee Bock, the now-defunct nonprofit’s founder and executive director, and Salim Said, co-owner of a Minneapolis restaurant that was under Feeding Our Future’s sponsorship, were found to have conspired to steal $250 million in taxpayer funds through the Federal Child Nutrition Program.

Bock was found guilty on seven counts, and Said was convicted on a staggering 21 counts. They face prison time on charges of wire fraud, federal programs bribery, money laundering and conspiracy to commit those crimes.

A full breakdown of the jury’s verdict can be found at the bottom of this article.

As the jury foreman read the verdict, Bock shook her head, seemingly in disbelief. Said did a small head shake.

As Judge Nancy Brasel considered whether to detain the defendants until sentencing, Bock’s attorney, Kenneth Udoibok, argued that his client does not pose a flight risk because she doesn’t have a passport and lives with her parents.

“We ask that she have some time to get her affairs ready for prison,” he said.

Said’s defense attorney, Adrian Montez, said his client was guilty of serious crimes but did not pose an imminent danger to the public. He added that Said had not had the chance to say goodbye to his children.

Brasel disagreed and ordered both defendants to remain in custody until they are sentenced.

“Frankly, I think public safety is at risk,” she said, adding that there is reason to believe they are at significant risk of fleeing. She also pointed to heightened security surrounding the trial.

Montez pat Said on the back before his arrest, and U.S. marshals made him and Bock remove their jewelry and belts. Bock’s legal team comforted her, and she blew her nose before being taken away.

Acting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Lisa Kirkpatrick praised the jury’s verdict, calling Bock and Said “thieves” at a time when “so many were trying to be helpers.”

“They used a time of crisis as their golden opportunity to enrich themselves and their criminal partners, outlandishly so,” Kirkpatrick said. “And every step of the way, Bock fought to keep her fraud scheme going. Today, her efforts to lie, to blame others, to escape responsibility came to an end.”

Lead U.S. prosecutor Joe Thompson said Bock and Said helped perpetrate a “brazen and corrupt scheme to take advantage of a program designed to feed needy children.”

“The Feeding Our Future case has come to symbolize the problem of fraud in our state,” Thompson said. “It has become the shame of Minnesota. Hopefully, today’s verdict will help turn the page on this awful chapter in our state’s history.”

Thompson said “significant” prison time awaits Bock and Said. He added that the government has so far recovered $60 million of the stolen taxpayer funds.

Sentencing hearings for Bock and Said will be scheduled at a later date.

The jury’s verdict is as follows:

Aimee Bock

• Count 1 — Conspiracy to commit wire fraud: GUILTY
• Count 2 — Wire fraud: GUILTY
• Count 4 — Wire fraud: GUILTY
• Count 5 — Wire fraud: GUILTY
• Count 12 — Wire fraud: GUILTY
• Count 15 — Conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery: GUILTY
• Count 40 — Federal programs bribery: GUILTY

Salim Said

• Count 1 — Conspiracy to commit wire fraud: GUILTY
• Count 2 — Wire fraud: GUILTY
• Count 5 — Wire fraud: GUILTY
• Count 8 — Wire fraud: GUILTY
• Count 12 — Wire fraud: GUILTY
• Count 15 — Conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery: GUILTY
• Count 16 — Federal programs bribery: GUILTY
• Count 17 — Federal programs bribery: GUILTY
• Count 18 — Federal programs bribery: GUILTY
• Count 19 — Federal programs bribery: GUILTY
• Count 32 — Federal programs bribery: GUILTY
• Count 34 — Federal programs bribery: GUILTY
• Count 36 — Federal programs bribery: GUILTY
• Count 37 — Federal programs bribery: GUILTY
• Count 38 — Federal programs bribery: GUILTY
• Count 41 — Conspiracy to commit money laundering: GUILTY
• Count 42 — Money laundering: GUILTY
• Count 44 — Money laundering: GUILTY
• Count 51 — Money laundering: GUILTY
• Count 52 — Money laundering: GUILTY
• Count 57 — Money laundering: GUILTY