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Feeding Our Future

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Feeding Our Future
Established2016
FounderAimee Bock[1]
Dissolved2022
TypeNonprofit 501(c)(3) until 2020
FocusHunger relief

Feeding Our Future was a non-profit organization based in Minnesota founded in 2016. It claimed to distribute many thousands of meals to schoolchildren during the COVID-19 pandemic, but stole hundreds of millions of dollars while providing few or no meals at most of its locations.

Although the state agency responsible for monitoring the school meal program repeatedly tried to cut off funds to Feeding our Future, the organization was not shut down until FBI raids and federal indictments in 2022. As of early 2025, out of 72 suspects indicted in the fraud, 38 had pled guilty. Another seven individuals were found guilty at trial, including the leader of the scheme, Aimee Bock, while many others awaited trial.

History

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The organization was founded in 2016, and repeatedly applied for grants from the state of Minnesota, but was rejected due to allegations of mismanagement and abuses.[1] The organization's tax status as a nonprofit was revoked by the IRS in February of 2020.[1] After the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and a large increase in the amount of federal aid available, Feeding Our Future applied to receive funding to provide meals to school children, as schools were closed.[1][2]

Although the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) knew of issues with Feeding Our Future, it began giving the organization substantial grants after Feeding Our Future threatened legal action against the state.[1][2] Ultimately, after MDE began delaying responses to Feeding Our Future's grant applications, the organization sued the state in November 2020, arguing that it was being discriminated against. Around the same time, the MDE raised concerns of fraud with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the FBI began investigating in February of 2021.[1][2] Feeding our Future's leader, Aimee Bock, maintained ties with local politicians, including Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey and state senator Omar Fateh.[3][4] An aide of Frey's, Abdi Salah, ultimately pled guilty to wire fraud; Frey stated he was unaware of Salah's activities.[5][3] Another supporter was Minneapolis councilmember Jamal Osman, whose wife operated a Feeding Our Future meal site which received more than $400,000 in funding.[6][7]

Federal prosecutors allege that only around 3% of the funding granted to Feeding Our Future meal sites was spent on food, while the remainder was funneled to the individual conspirators involved in the fraud.[8] At its peak, the organization listed 299 "meal sites", which purported to have served 90 million meals in less than 2 years (more than 120,000 meals per day). One site surveilled by the FBI claiming to serve 6000 meals per day actually averaged around 40 visitors.[9]

Meanwhile, in December 2020, MDE denied Feeding Our Future's ongoing grant applications and labeled the organization "severely deficient", leading to an attempt by MDE to terminate the partnership fully.[1][2][10] Feeding our Future sued the state in response. Minnesota judge John Guthmann found in the spring of 2021 that there was no legal basis for stopping payments, and informed MDE that there could be a "real problem" if it did not resume processing Feeding Our Future's grant applications, although he did not formally order MDE to resume giving grants.[1][10] Several months later, Guthmann held MDE in contempt of court for processing grant applications slowly and ordered the state agency to pay a fine of $47,500 to Feeding Our Future.[1][10]

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In January of 2022, the FBI raided a number of Feeding Our Future "meal" locations and the nonprofit was disestablished shortly thereafter.[1] That fall, members of the organization were accused of defrauding the state's USDA-funded school nutrition programs of at least $250 million over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, led by the organization's president, Bock.[11][12] On September 20, 2022, the U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger announced federal charges against 47 former Feeding Our Future employees for their involvement in the nation's largest pandemic-related fraud scheme.[12][13] The number of indicted individuals eventually reached 70.[1][14]

In the spring of 2024, a group of seven defendants were the first to go to trial. Near the end of the trial, an attempt was made to bribe a juror to vote to acquit with $120,000 in cash.[15][16][17] The juror reported the incident and was dismissed to avoid the appearance of impropriety, along with another who heard about the incident from a relative. The jury was sequestered for the remainder of the trial. Of the first seven defendants, five were convicted on most charges against them, while two were acquitted.[18] Several weeks later, five suspects, including three of the defendants from the first trial, were indicted on charges related to the bribery. One of the individuals indicted for bribery had been acquitted of fraud during the trial.[17] All five suspects in the bribery case had pleaded guilty by May 2025.[19]

A federal court handed down the first sentence in the scandal on October 15, 2024. Mohamed Ismail received a 12 year sentence; two of the three counts involved conspiracy. He was ordered to pay more than $47 million in restitution.[20] The second trial in the case began in February 2025 for Aimee Bock, the ringleader of the scheme, and a leading co-conspirator, Salim Said.[14][21] On March 19, 2025, Bock and Said were both found guilty on all counts.[22]

By March 2025, out of 70 suspects indicted in the fraud, 38 had pled guilty and seven had been found guilty at trial, while many others awaited trial.[1][8] Although more than $250 million is alleged to have been stolen, only around $75 million had been recovered as of early 2025, as much of the money was spent on unrecoverable expenses like luxury meals and hotels, or was transferred to overseas investments which the United States cannot seize.[1][8]

Two additional suspects (the 71st and 72nd) were indicted in May and June 2025; one was arrested just before boarding a flight out of the United States at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport.[23][24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Derosier, Alex (October 20, 2024). "Feeding Our Future fraud led to new grant controls, little progress recovering stolen money". Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Archived from the original on November 20, 2024. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Smith, Kelly (June 13, 2024). "Report: Minnesota Department of Education's 'inadequate oversight' of Feeding Our Future opened door to fraud". Minnesota Star Tribune. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Meitrodt, Jeffrey (March 30, 2022). "Feeding Our Future sought Minneapolis aid with the state". Star Tribune. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
  4. ^ Raguse, Lou (February 25, 2025). "'Aimee Bock was a god': Former Feeding Our Future director implicated in alleged shakedown attempt". KARE 11. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
  5. ^ Halbach, Ashley (January 28, 2025). "2 defendants in Feeding Our Future case enter guilty pleas days before trial". KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
  6. ^ Winter, Deena (February 18, 2025). "Minneapolis City Council Member Jamal Osman entangled in fraud trial". Star Tribune. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
  7. ^ Orrick, Dave (October 19, 2023). "Minneapolis Council Member Jamal Osman's wife in middle of fresh state charity accusations". Star Tribune. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c Meitrodt, Jeffrey (March 28, 2025). "How much of the $250 million in taxpayers' money will Feeding Our Future fraud case recover? Prosecutors hope to recoup 'millions' more". Star Tribune. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  9. ^ Sepic, Matthew (February 12, 2025). "Feeding Our Future by the numbers: 4.4M documents, 90M meal claims and 1,200 subpoenas". MPR News. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
  10. ^ a b c Smith, Kelly (September 24, 2022). "Feeding Our Future charges lead to dispute over 2021 case". Minnesota Star Tribune. Archived from the original on November 8, 2024. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  11. ^ Almanac (September 23, 2022). "Feeding our Future, Attorney General race, opioid crisis". KTCA-TV (Weekly news and public affairs broadcast). Vol. 2023, Episode 4. Twin Cities PBS. Archived from the original on June 5, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Montemayor, Stephen; Meitrodt, Jeffrey (September 21, 2022). "Feeding Our Future founder among 48 people charged in $250 million federal food aid fraud scheme". Minnesota Star Tribune. Archived from the original on June 5, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  13. ^ "U.S. Attorney Announces Federal Charges Against 47 Defendants in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme" (Press release). U.S. Department of Justice. September 20, 2022. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  14. ^ a b Sepic, Matt (October 16, 2024). "Judge warns ex-Feeding Our Future boss to follow release rules". MPR News. Archived from the original on December 1, 2024. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
  15. ^ Fahrenthold, David A.; Londoño, Ernesto (June 3, 2024). "A Mazda, a Gift Bag of $120,000 and a Dismissed Juror". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 5, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  16. ^ "Fraud trial juror reports getting bag of $120,000 and promise of more if she'll acquit". Associated Press. June 3, 2024. Archived from the original on June 4, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  17. ^ a b Montemayor, Stephen; Smith, Kelly (June 26, 2024). "New charges: Feeding Our Future juror was followed for days, given list of instructions with $120k in cash to acquit". Minnesota Star Tribune. Archived from the original on June 26, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  18. ^ Smith, Kelly (June 7, 2024). "Jury finds five of seven defendants guilty in Feeding Our Future trial". Minnesota Star Tribune. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  19. ^ Nelson, Sarah (May 6, 2025). "'Ringleader' in Feeding Our Future fraud case to change plea in juror bribery charges". Star Tribune. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  20. ^ Sepic, Matt (October 15, 2024). "First Feeding Our Future defendant sentenced gets 12 years". MPR News. Archived from the original on November 19, 2024. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  21. ^ Meitrodt, Jeffrey (February 10, 2025). "'Relentless' fraudster or victim? Trial of Feeding Our Future leader opens with competing stories". www.startribune.com. Archived from the original on February 11, 2025. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  22. ^ "Feeding Our Future head Aimee Bock convicted on all fraud charges". MPR News. March 19, 2025. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
  23. ^ Sepic, Matt (May 27, 2025). "Feds arrest newest Feeding Our Future defendant at Twin Cities airport". MPR News. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  24. ^ Winter, Deena (June 6, 2025). "Feeding Our Future probe: Apple Valley woman charged with defrauding food program of $1.4 million". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
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