), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Greasing the wheels: Feeding Our Future, led by founder and executive director Aimee Bock, is accused of accepting bribes and kickbacks from entities in exchange for sponsoring applications for . U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger on Tuesday announced charges against founder Aimee Bock and others that include conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, and bribery. If they would have asked, they would have known it was from a sale of an independent business. Subscribe to FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul youtube.com/channel/UClwddNv0Cr6SIEGkzVK886w?sub_confirmation=1 Watch FOX 9 Live: fox9.com/live FOX 9 is your, Feeding Our Future: Founder, 46 others charged in 'massive' fraud scheme, 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. Udoibok called the disclosure of allegations without making charges or indictments grossly unfair to Bock. "These defendants exploited a program designed to provide nutritious food to needy children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Were saying that MDE fed the federal government with bad information. Abdinasir Abshir ran the Stigma-Free Mankato site. We had no grocery stores on Lake Street. Aimee Bock, executive director of the now-defunct Feeding Our Future, allegedly recruited dozens of individuals to open more than 200 food sites. But its not all good news. Bock: I dont know what he spent it on when he was there. The following people are named in the indictment United States v. Haji Osman Salad, et al. So we had parents driving in, we had staff driving to houses to deliver food. Contact us atmembership@sahanjournal.com. Want more? View Aimee Bock's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. "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. The defendants used the proceeds of their fraudulent scheme to purchase luxury vehicles, residential and commercial real estate in Minnesota as well as property in Ohio and Kentucky, real estate in Kenya and Turkey, and to fund international travel.. We utilize the Child and Adult Care Food Program to increase healthy food access for Minnesotas youth and seniors., Before that, she worked as director of operations for Partners in Nutrition in St. Paul, which works to break down barriers to participation in the USDA Child and Care Food Program. Founder of Feeding our Future Rosemount, Minnesota, United . And we need to be honest with ourselves about potential wrongdoing. 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. Somali Aimee Bock was the founder and executive director of Feeding Our Future, a nonprofit organization that was a sponsor participating in the Federal Child Nutrition Program. She then joined a daycare company called Knowledge Universe, working her way up from instructor to center director. That means it needs to be free! Feeding Our Future's founder and executive director, Aimee Bock, was among those indicted, and authorities say she and others in her organization submitted the fraudulent claims for. Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 39, Burnsville, employee of Feeding Our Future. Parents were out of work. Hamdi Hussein Omar, 26, of St. Paul, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. 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. We were growing in site numbers, we were growing in staff size. The defendants went to great lengths to exploit a program designed to feed underserved children in Minnesota amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, fraudulently diverting millions of dollars designated for the program for their own personal gain. Everyone should know her face. Nonprofit wins small battle in lawsuit with the, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Submit to Stumbleupon (Opens in new window), Nonprofit wins small battle in lawsuit with the MN Dept. Bock: Its important to paint the context of the time that those meals were served. A nonprofit newsroom dedicated to reporting for Minnesotas immigrants and communities of color. 3055 Old Highway 8Suite 312Minneapolis, MN 55418. He predicted that Bock and Feeding Our Future will ultimately not be charged or indicted. 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. Abdirahman Mohamud Ahmed, 54, of Columbus, Ohio, is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering. Abdi Nur Salah, 34, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Bock: Unfortunately, [the Learning Journey] was something that took a decade or more to build. Or call us at 612-548-4344. Bock graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2003 with a degree in elementary education. / CBS Minnesota. The search warrants also alleged that Bock used the money to write a $70,000 cashiers check to her ex-husband. I personally am passionate about making sure kids have the basic fundamentals of life, food. She denied it was a kickback,. . Coupled that with the fact that it was the week of George Floyds murder. Heres what Bock said she wants people to know. Deanna Weniger covers criminal, civil and federal courts. The defendants also created shell companies to receive and launder the proceeds of their fraudulent scheme., The government alleges the defendants submitted fraudulent meal count sheets purporting to document the number of children and meals served at each site. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. 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.. Her entry for Feeding Our Future says: We utilize the Child and Adult Care Food Program to increase healthy food access for Minnesotas youth and seniors. Bock said that in 2021, Feeding Our Future completely denied 10 to 15 applications from nonprofits and partially denied countless others. Do you have a news tip or story idea to share with us? The U.S. Department of Agricultures food service programs the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program work in tandem to ensure low-income children are provided free, nutritious meals year-round, including after school and when schools are not in session. A Minneapolis non-profit last week won a battle in a year-long legal fight with the Minnesota Department of Education over funding for meals for low-income children. Ever. Joey Peters is a reporter for Sahan Journal. Feeding Our Future went from receiving and disbursing approximately $3.4 million in federal funds in 2019 to nearly $200 million in 2021, according to DOJ. of Education. RELATED | Scammers use Biden's student loan forgiveness program to steal information. Bock: If we have an invoice that just simply says breakfast, that doesnt tell me enough. Last week, the landlord of the Burnsville building listed as The Learning Journey filed an eviction lawsuit against Bock and others, alleging $30,000 in unpaid rent since October 2021. These defendants exploited a program designed to provide nutritious food to needy children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cody Fohrenkam sentenced in the killing of Deshaun Hill Jr. Black longevity depends on community health in Minnesota, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. 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. : In the wake of nearly 50 federal indictments alleging massive fraud from a Minnesota meal program for children, the Minnesota Department of Education is hoping to recover both money and its reputation. Udoibok: I was a prosecutor before. Bock's attorney, Kenneth Udoibok, said the indictment "doesn't indicate guilt or innocence." : The following people are named in the indictment United States v. Liban Yasin Alishire, et al. 2023 A nonprofit newsroom dedicated to reporting on Minnesotas immigrant and refugee communities.. Editors note: Why Sahan Journal is reporting on alleged fraud in the federal meals program.. Online records show she lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. During this time of high need, MDE failed to process applications as required by law, said Aimee Bock, spokesperson for Feeding our Future. Sahan Journal is a nonprofit newsroom and your tax-deductible donations help us keep bringing you and every Minnesotan essential, nonpartisan information. There are people that have better relationships and more of an ability to grow. The law does not require her to sit at 200 centers and count the kids. Because of that, my client is maligned, Udoibok said. Authorities alleged the massive fraud scheme took at least $250 million from the federal child nutrition program money that was intended to help feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic. But the roster, authorities say, was fake. Try our monthly plan today. Udoibok: Stolen, thats another objection. 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. . They were down to a couple of gas stations. When MDE employees pressed Bock for clarification, Bock accused MDE of discrimination and unfairly scrutinizing Feeding Our Futures sites. Minneapolis, MN 55416 United States. Bock said the decision to hire her boyfriends company for the work came in a bidding process that saw three or four companies bid for the job. Bock and Feeding Our Future submitted these claims for reimbursement, the indictment alleges, despite knowing they were fraudulent. The lawsuit goes back to November 2020 when Feeding Our Future alleged that since Sept. 8, 2020, it had submitted 51 applications to open new distribution centers in low-income and minority communities that MDE failed to process. They approached me about purchasing the center. 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. We had no convenience stores. 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. Then, Feeding Our Future reviews these records and decides whether they meet federal guidelines. The federal guidelines say we can spend up to 15 percent of the money this way. MDE provides those funds to the sponsoring agency who, in turn, pays the reimbursements to the sites under its sponsorship. Online records show she lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. I mean, we were in lockdown. Your tax-deductible donation helps us keep bringing you and every Minnesotan essential, nonpartisan information. Everything was frozen. 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. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. That left me in a position where I was opening a business to serve children who were confined to their homes. Again, the meals are reimbursed. READ NEXT: The Death of Queen Elizabeth II, Aimee Bock: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. In fact, its the opposite. "In all, Feeding Our Future fraudulently obtained and disbursed more than $240 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds during the Covid-19 pandemic," it continued. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. He said he wouldn't comment further until seeing the indictment. AIMEE BOCK. If youre buying doughnuts, that doesnt count. Feeding Our Future received $3.4 million in federal food-aid money in 2019, $43 million in 2020, and $198 million in 2021. The indictments charge Bock with overseeing a massive fraud scheme carried out by sites under Feeding Our Future's sponsorship. Because as we see time and time again, our more-populated areas get the services, but those in outstate Minnesota, those outside of Wilmar, dont get the help they need. 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. All rights reserved. indictment. Because if you are, I might get raided.. I wish that the government had taken that into consideration when making this allegation. It consisted of a kitchen upgrade, which is still in process. 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. Three FBI search warrant affidavits, unsealed last month in federal court, allege that Bock participated in a wide scheme defrauding the federal government of millions of dollars earmarked for feeding underserved children. Federal prosecutors say they may not be done filing charges in the case. Bocks lawyer told the publication he believes the genesis of the federal investigation into Bock derived from Lomen. Abdikadir Ainanshe Mohamud, 30, of Fridley, 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. Authorities say, was fake, Minnesota, United wants people to know that, my client maligned! 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