In an interview earlier this year, Bock denied stealing money and said she never saw evidence of fraud. 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. Why is nobody asking them where their profit margins went? The court finds the MDE in constructive civil contempt for violating a court order, the entry of which it negotiated and stipulated to, Guthmann wrote. "This was a brazen scheme of staggering proportions," said US Attorney Andrew M. Luger for the District of Minnesota. Before joining Sahan Journal, he worked for close to a decade in New Mexico, where his reporting prompted the resignation A few days ago, on February 25th, 2022, a not-for-profit organization called Feeding Our Future announced that it is dissolving its operations. Instead, they prioritized their own greed, stealing more than a quarter of a billion dollars in federal funds to purchase luxury cars, houses, jewelry, and coastal resort property abroad.". She is also working as an MNCPD Approved Trainer. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Asad Mohamed Abshir, 32, of Mankato, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. MDE spokesperson Ashleigh Norris said the department cannot comment on ongoing litigation. Investigators say Bock and conspirators created an elaborate network across the state that took advantage of COVID rules meant to help kids during the height of the pandemic, and pocketed $250 million to fund lavish lifestyles for themselves. The search warrant alleges Bocks boyfriend spent some of this money on a Las Vegas trip where he paid $21,000 on a rental car, $9,000 at Caesars Palace, $6,700 at Gucci, and $3,500 at Louis Vuitton. Online records show she lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. Coupled that with the fact that it was the week of George Floyds murder. Bock and Feeding Our Future submitted these claims for reimbursement, the indictment alleges, despite knowing they were fraudulent. I havent read it yet, Udoibok said of the charging document. Bock said Feeding Our Future kept about 10% of the money it received though the nutrition programs for administrative fees, which worked out to about $19 million in 2021. Sahan Journal is a nonprofit newsroom and your tax-deductible donations help us keep bringing you and every Minnesotan essential, nonpartisan information. Aimee has 7 jobs listed on their profile. Eidleh was an employee of Feeding Our Future who solicited and received bribes and kickbacks from individuals and sites under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Welcome to the official YouTube channel of KARE 11 News. Please enter valid email address to continue. Abdinasir Mahamed Abshir, 30, of Minneapolis, 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. The attorney general of the United States explained the scope of the scheme. A former teacher, Bocks full name is Aimee Marie Bock. This was a brazen scheme of staggering proportions, said U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger for the District of Minnesota. For the Pioneer Press, she has covered the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners, the northern Ramsey County suburbs, and weekend breaking news. Documents say Bock oversaw the scheme and that she and Feeding Our Future sponsored the opening of nearly 200 federal child nutrition program sites throughout the state, knowing that the sites intended to submit fraudulent claims, "Feeding Our Future employees recruited individuals and entities to open Federal Child Nutrition Program sites throughout the state of Minnesota," the Justice Department said in a release. ), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Although she has not been criminally charged, she declined a new interview for this story. The defendants are facing a range of charges, including conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, and paying and receiving illegal kickbacks. Subscribe to, Feeding Our Future fraud investigation puts nonprofits under Minnesota lawmakers' microscope | FOX 9, An attorney for the Minnesota Department of Education said Wednesday that a federal investigation is ongoing into what he called "one of the largest fraud occurrences in state history" at a meals program and hinted about grand jury involvement. The lawyer told Sahan Journal that Bocks denies any wrongdoing. I like to have a face to look at. I dont recall the date off the top of my head. Sams Club, Costco, and Aldi get by far the largest chunk of the money. My client meant wellshe still means well, and we hope that the jury will see that all did was try to help folks.. Federal prosecutors arrested and charged Aimee Bock on Tuesday for allegedly defrauding the federal government in a wide-ranging scheme to steal money from child nutrition programs. : The following people are named in the indictment United States v. Liban Yasin Alishire, et al. And what is that information? That said, the fraud allegations actually come from the FBI. To read that all of my hard work is being twisted into something that its not is hard. But the roster, authorities say, was fake. She . Instead of feeding children, the money was allegedly spent for personal purposes on real estate, luxury cars, and lavish travel. Bock: We spoke with our respective attorneys and reviewed the documents, but no, it wasnt through a realtor. Get news and stories that illuminate the lives and experiences of Minnesotas immigrants and communities of color. 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. Sahan Journal is a nonprofit newsroom and your tax-deductible donations help us keep bringing you and every Minnesotan essential, nonpartisan information. Feeding Our Future would then pass the federal money down to its contractorsreligious institutions, non-profits, and other groupsthat were supposed to use the money to feed children. 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. Founder of Feeding our Future Rosemount, Minnesota, United . On Monday morning, roughly a dozen people huddled in Feeding Our Futures St. Anthony headquarters as Bock and her lawyer, Kenneth Udoibok, spoke at length about the allegations. In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. Additionally, the Minnesota Department of Education on Wednesday filed a claim seeking to recover more than $538,000 spent on defending the agency against a discrimination lawsuit brought by Aimee Bock, the former executive director of Feeding Our Future. Floor leveling that had to be done. 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. Last week, the always alert Lou Raguse of KARE-11 noticed that the state Department of Education (MDE) has renewed its $583,000 claim against the now-defunct nonprofit Feeding Our Future (Feeding, FOF). According to sahanjournal.com, she founded Feeding Our Future II after receiving inquiries about working with potential food sites outside of Minnesota. They were down to a couple of gas stations. Im surprised that shes indicted, because I didnt think the government would charge her. The indictments charge Bock with overseeing a massive fraud scheme carried out by sites under Feeding Our Future's sponsorship. The Department of Justice alleges that despite Feeding Our Future's knowledge of their own fraudulent claims, they still submitted them to the Minnesota Department of Education, which administered and oversaw the federal program for the state. Heres an example of how the scheme allegedly worked. That was happening simultaneously as Feeding Our Future was growing and needed my full-time attention. Before joining Sahan Journal, he worked for close to a decade in New Mexico, where his reporting prompted the resignation Parents were out of work. Share this: We had no grocery stores on Lake Street. My client meant wellshe still means well. Last of two videos. I believe it was his company that purchased it, and theyve owned childcare centers in the past. I think that bad intel was intentionally provided by the Department of Education. 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. This site claimed to have served approximately 1.6 million meals and received more than $4 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Bock says the smaller nonprofits that serve meals to kids must buy food from a food distributor. Before Aimee Bock got involved in federal food aid programs, she worked as a child care instructor. Again, that falls into the line of what these for-profit companies are doing is outside of the scope of what Feeding Our Future can mandate. Ever. There are people that have better relationships and more of an ability to grow. The indictment accuses Bock of overseeing a massive scheme to defraud, committed by the sites that Feeding Our Future sponsored. They submit the documentation to Feeding Our Future. . The judge also wrote that the departments failure to obey the court order to act on the pending applications could cause irreparable harm and accompanying collateral consequences to the children it serves. of Education. This is a full-time salaried position. Feeding Our Future received $3.4 million in federal food-aid money in 2019, $43 million in 2020, and $198 million in 2021. Senate passes Drivers Licenses for All, sending bill to governors desk to be signed into law, Hmong elders lead campaign for answers in St. Paul police killing of Yia Xiong, Governor Tim Walzs proposed rebates and tax increases evoke relief, anxiety among Minnesotans, Federal government gives $2M to plan land bridge above Interstate 94 in St. Paul, It brought purpose: Two friends start Fire Mountain Fabrics in between chemo sessions. . Bock said that in 2021, Feeding Our Future completely denied 10 to 15 applications from nonprofits and partially denied countless others. These charges send the message that the FBI and our law enforcement partners remain vigilant and will vigorously pursue those who attempt to enrich themselves through fraudulent means.. Our Wilmar site was delivering meals to children that live outside of Wilmar. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. She did that a minimum of once a month. 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. indictment: Aimee Marie Bock, 41, of Apple Valley, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery. Together, they spend $4 billion a year to feed people across the country. Feeding Our Future received more than $18 million in administrative fees to which it was not entitled, the government says. Minnesota State Senator Omar Fateh returns campaign contributions from donors tied to alleged Feeding Our Future fraud investigation. Ahmed Sharif Omar-Hashim, 39, of Minneapolis, 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. She has to defend herself against the search warrants, and the search warrants took liberties, significant liberties, factually.. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. 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. 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. Rather than feed children, the defendants enriched themselves by fraudulently misappropriating millions of dollars in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.. Do you have a news tip or story idea to share with us? Investigators accused Bock, the executive director of Feeding Our Future, of receiving a $310,000 kickback from a restaurant owner involved in the scheme. (The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. Its still ongoing. Whos been charged in the Feeding Our Future food fraud investigation? She has also a Director of Operations from 2015 to 2018. Abdi Salah registered Stigma-Free International, a non-profit entity used to carry out the scheme with sites throughout Minnesota, including in Willmar, Mankato, St. She created a contract stating the transaction involved selling a childcare center to make it appear legitimate, the indictment alleges. Most of the time it is a for-profit organization like a grocery store or restaurant. Investigators allege that in a little over 20 months, these operations fraudulently reported providing more than 125 nonexistent million meals to children. 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 Minnesota Department of Education is committed to ensuring all children have access to meals, she said, and ensuring sponsors and sites are able to operate and feed children while meeting all U.S. Department of Agriculture program regulations.. Bock: Its important to paint the context of the time that those meals were served. The FBI alleges that Feeding Our Future, which Bock founded in 2017 and where she serves as executive director, mishandled tens of millions of dollars of federal child nutrition money. 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. Bock was the. We had no convenience stores. 5353 Gamble Dr Ste 320 . 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