A nonprofit organization in Minnesota promised to nourish children during the COVID-19 crisis. Instead, Feeding Our Future became the centerpiece of a sprawling fraud that siphoned hundreds of millions of dollars from federal child nutrition programs. Federal prosecutors now describe the scheme as the largest pandemic-related fraud in the United States, with losses exceeding $250 million in the core case alone.
The scandal extends beyond one group, encompassing over $1 billion in theft from state social services like housing aid and autism therapy. Authorities have charged dozens of individuals, many tied to Minnesota’s Somali community, for exploiting relaxed federal rules. As investigations continue, the episode has ignited national debate over government oversight and immigrant integration.
Origins in a Time of Crisis
Feeding Our Future was founded as a legitimate nonprofit in 2016 to combat hunger among Somali immigrant families in Minneapolis. The group sponsored “meal sites” under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Federal Child Nutrition Program, reimbursing operators for meals served to low-income children. By 2019, it handled about $3.4 million in funds.
The COVID-19 pandemic transformed the operation. In the spring of 2020, federal waivers eliminated requirements for site visits and meal monitoring to speed aid distribution. Feeding Our Future’s funding surged to nearly $200 million in 2021, as operators opened hundreds of sites across the state. Rapid expansion masked deeper problems, including lawsuits against state regulators who questioned the group’s practices.
Mechanics of the Deception
Fraudsters created shell companies posing as food distributors or meal sites, often in empty warehouses or private homes. They submitted inflated claims for meals never served, using fake attendance rosters with fabricated children’s names and ages. One site, for example, alleged daily service to 6,000 children in a rural town whose total child population fell short of that number.
Feeding Our Future approved these claims and disbursed reimbursements—up to $13 per meal—while taking administrative fees of 5% to 10%. Recipients paid kickbacks to insiders, then laundered the proceeds through cash withdrawals, luxury purchases, or overseas wire transfers. Only about 3% of funds reached actual food; the rest funded real estate in Kenya and Turkey, high-end vehicles, and international trips.
Similar tactics plagued related programs. In housing stabilization services, providers billed for aid that was never delivered while offering clients kickbacks to enroll. Autism therapy schemes involved fake diagnoses and unprovided sessions, stealing $14 million in one case.
Early Warnings and Federal Scrutiny
State education officials flagged irregularities in fall 2020, delaying Feeding Our Future’s grants and alerting the USDA. The nonprofit sued the Minnesota Department of Education, alleging discrimination. Federal investigators joined in February 2021, probing money trails and site operations.
The FBI raided Feeding Our Future’s offices on January 19, 2022, seizing documents and computers. A whistleblower from within the organization provided key evidence of fabricated records. By summer 2022, audits revealed most sites served no meals, prompting widespread closures.
Central Figures and Their Fates
Aimee Bock, the nonprofit’s founder and executive director, orchestrated much of the scheme. She approved fraudulent sites and pocketed millions in fees. In March 2025, a jury convicted Bock of wire fraud and bribery after a trial exposing her role in claiming 91 million phantom meals. Bock awaits sentencing.
Salim Said, co-owner of Safari Restaurant, partnered with Bock to fabricate invoices for over 3.9 million meals. Convicted alongside her, Said faces up to 20 years in prison. He used the proceeds for luxury goods and property abroad.
Abdimajid Mohamed Nur, 24, led a subgroup that stole $47 million through Empire Cuisine & Market. Enrolled in April 2020, the storefront claimed millions of meals from sham sites. On November 25, 2025, Judge Nancy E. Brasel sentenced Nur to 10 years in prison, plus $47.9 million in restitution, calling his actions “mindboggling.” Nur also pleaded guilty to bribing a juror in a related case.
Recent charges highlight the scheme’s reach. On November 24, 2025, Abdirashid Bixi Dool became the 78th defendant, accused of stealing $1.1 million via fake sites in Pelican Rapids and Moorhead. He allegedly wired funds abroad and bought real estate.
Path to Prosecution
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota, under Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick, spearheaded charges. On September 20, 2022, 47 defendants faced wire fraud, bribery, and money laundering counts in the initial indictment. Investigations involved the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Prosecutors traced funds through bank records and undercover buys, building cases on false documentation. Trials emphasized the human cost: stolen aid deprived needy children. Plea deals dominated, with many admitting guilt to reduced charges.
Asset forfeitures followed convictions, seizing vehicles, properties, and cash. Cooperation from defendants like Bock aided further indictments.
Ongoing Cases and Broader Probes
As of December 2, 2025, 78 individuals face charges in the Feeding Our Future case, with 59 convictions—over 50 by plea and seven at trial. Sentencings continue, including for juror bribery attempts tied to the scheme.
Related frauds expand the tally. Eight defendants in a September 2025 housing stabilization case stole millions; two have pleaded guilty. An autism scheme led to Asha Farhan Hassan’s September 24 indictment for $14 million in theft, plus $465,000 from Feeding Our Future. Medicaid fraud at Evergreen Recovery led to two leaders pleading guilty on October 22, 2025, to conspiracy charges.
The U.S. Treasury launched a probe on December 1, 2025, into claims that fraud proceeds funded al-Shabaab terrorists in Somalia. No direct links have surfaced, but House Oversight Chairman James Comer announced a state-focused investigation.
Administration Actions and Public Backlash
Governor Tim Walz has defended his team’s response, emphasizing federal prosecutions. In a November 30, 2025, interview, he stated, “The programs are set up to move the money to people” and outlined reforms like a fraud task force, inter-agency data sharing, and AI detection tools. On NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday, Walz said, “Certainly, I take responsibility for putting people in jail,” while rejecting community-wide blame.
Critics, including over 480 Minnesota Department of Human Services employees, accuse Walz of ignoring early warnings and retaliating against whistleblowers. Their X post on November 30 declared, “Tim Walz is 100% responsible for massive fraud in Minnesota. We let Tim Walz know of fraud early on, hoping for a partnership in stopping fraud but no, we got the opposite response. Tim Walz systematically retaliated against whistleblowers using monitoring, threats, repression, and did his best to discredit fraud reports.”
President Trump has amplified the issue, labeling Minnesota a “hub of fraudulent money laundering activity.” His administration’s Treasury review adds pressure ahead of Walz’s 2026 reelection bid. State officials vow continued vigilance, but recovery of lost funds remains elusive.