aimee bock, feeding our future mn
Feeding Our Future received hundreds of millions of dollars from these two federal programs from 2019 through 2021 and passed the money down to hundreds of mostly immigrant-run nonprofits across the state, according to records from the Minnesota Department of Education. That the number of kids fed seemed unrealistic. Bock: Yes. Parents were out of work. Whoops! Bock previously told Sahan Journal that the $310,000 transaction actually involved the purchase of a daycare business that she founded in 2019. I mean, we were in lockdown. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Judge John Guthmann of Ramsey County District Court ordered the department to pay $35,750 to Feeding Our Future and $11,750 in attorneys fees for failing to follow through on an earlier agreement, finding the department in contempt of court. In interviews after law enforcement searched multiple sites in January, including Bock's home and offices, Bock denied stealing money and said she never saw evidence of fraud. These rosters were fabricated and created using fake names., For example, the government contends, one roster was created using names from a website called www.listofrandomnames.com. Because the program only reimbursed for meals served to children, other defendants used an Excel formula to insert a random age between 7 and 17 into the age column of the rosters.. It has scaled back significantly, but during that time, they were one of the few sources of food in that area. No paywalls. According to the department, the scheme is the largest Covid-19-related fraud uncovered by investigators to date. So we had parents driving in, we had staff driving to houses to deliver food. Everyone should know her face. Bock: I think the feds are acting on bad intel. Coupled that with the fact that it was the week of George Floyds murder. 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. So when I was approached about selling it, it was a relief. Abdulkadir Nur Salah, 36, of Columbia Heights, 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 then joined a daycare company called Knowledge Universe, working her way up from instructor to center director. Feeding Our Future received more than $18 million in administrative fees to which it was not entitled, the government says. He said he wouldn't comment further until seeing the indictment. To read that all of my hard work is being twisted into something that its not is hard. Federal prosecutors say they may not be done filing charges in the case. And my conclusion is, the reason why they didnt care about the impact of that decision, is because the centers are run by immigrants and the beneficiaries of the food are also immigrants and poor people. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Authorities say Bock and others in her organization submitted the fraudulent claims for reimbursement and received kickbacks. But the indictment charges that she actually sold a food site to Cosmopolitan Business Solutions, the parent company of Safari. The federal Child and Adult Care Program and the Summer Food Service Program are used to feed children and adults in daycare and afterschool organizations. That was happening simultaneously as Feeding Our Future was growing and needed my full-time attention. Bock went on to work for an education trade group called Minnesota Association for the Education of Young Children, where she helped child care organizations manage accreditation. 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. Four free-food nonprofits are suing the Dept. Thats my opinion. Minnesota State Senator Omar Fateh returns campaign contributions from donors tied to alleged Feeding Our Future fraud investigation. Aimee Bock in the Feeding Our Futures offices in St. Anthony, Minnesota on Jan. 31 2022. Parents were out of work. Want more? The Department of Education then sent the meal counts to the federal government for compensation. 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. 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. 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. Current Partners board members declined KARE 11's requests as well. The USDAs Food and Nutrition Service administers the program throughout the nation by distributing federal funds to state governments. Feeding Our Future does not commit fraud, does not allow fraud, does not condone fraud, and most certainly does not actively participate in fraud, Bock said. 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. Individuals seeking to operate fraudulent sites under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future had to kickback a portion of their proceeds to Feeding Our Future employees, the indictment states. Sometimes, this prompts Feeding Our Future to reject nonprofits attempts to access child nutrition program money. : The following people are named in the indictment United States v. Liban Yasin Alishire, et al. 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. For one, they allege the state department fed the FBI bad information. That bad information is that Feeding Our Future grew too fast and that the number of children it reported feeding was unrealistic. Three people were charged via criminal information, which can only be done with their consent, meaning they are cooperating and likely to plead guilty: One person was arrested and charged via complaint after the U.S. Attorney's Office announcement: A 49th person was charged on Monday, Sept. 26: A 50th person was indicted, authorities said on Oct. 19: A 49th person has been charged in connection to the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme that took hundreds of millions of dollars from the Federal Child Nutrition Program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those meals were served in the months immediately following the pandemic. We paid a fair market price. Sahan Journal is a nonprofit newsroom and your tax-deductible donations help us keep bringing you and every Minnesotan essential, nonpartisan information. 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. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. The stories that come from Minnesotas diverse communities are priceless. We had no grocery stores on Lake Street. Help us keep them free to read for everyone. Try our monthly plan today. It has been nearly two weeks since federal agents raided Aimee Bocks house, the nonprofit she runs, and several companies associated with it. : 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. Subscribe Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. I wish that the government had taken that into consideration when making this allegation. Or call us at 612-548-4344. Before Aimee Bock got involved in federal food aid programs, she worked as a child care instructor. Sponsors must submit an application to MDE for each site. Udoibok called the disclosure of allegations without making charges or indictments grossly unfair to Bock. We work with child care centers, adult care centers, emergency shelters and afterschool programs to provide nutritious meals to individuals that would otherwise have limited access.. Were saying that MDE fed the federal government with bad information. Some requirements were waived during the pandemic. Shes met all her burden under the law. of Education. Bock of course was charged this week for her role in bilking the Federal government out of hundreds of millions of dollars that should have gone to feeding hungry children during the pandemic of 2020-21. Its still ongoing. 3055 Old Highway 8Suite 312Minneapolis, MN 55418. The Associate Press contributed to this report. Those meals were served in the months immediately following the pandemic. These are for-profit entities, and what they do with their money is outside the scope of what Feeding Our Future manages. That means it needs to be free! 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. Contact us atmembership@sahanjournal.com. 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. 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. Heres an example of how the scheme allegedly worked. They have experience in childcare ownership. Ahmed Mohamed Artan, 37, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. 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. Meanwhile, Aimee Bock of Feeding. Aimee Bock was one of 48 people charged in what the U.S. Attorney's office in Minnesota is calling a widespread fraud scheme involving COVID-19 funds. She is required to do auditing and inspection of sites three times a year. We utilize the Child and Adult Care Food Program to increase healthy food access for Minnesota's youth and seniors, "You cannot feed the hungry on statistics". If they would have asked, they would have known it was from a sale of an independent business. Its been an expansive, ongoing multi-year project. Bock says whatever the for-profit food distributors do with their profit margins is outside of her authority. READ NEXT: The Death of Queen Elizabeth II, Aimee Bock: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Deanna Weniger covers criminal, civil and federal courts. The text under the video says: Thank you very much Feeding Our Future/Aimee Bock for fighting for minorities. About time, given that it is under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for misuse of federal aid, running into millions of dollars. I personally am passionate about making sure kids have the basic fundamentals of life, food. 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. Have questions about your recurring donation to Sahan Journal, want to change your donation, or want to become a sustainer? A nonprofit newsroom dedicated to reporting for Minnesotas immigrants and communities of color. The attorney general of the United States explained the scope of the scheme. Bock was just executive director of Feeding Our Future, which is under investigation for receiving millions of dollars in food aid. 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. . Bock and Feeding Our Future submitted these claims for reimbursement, the indictment alleges, despite knowing they were fraudulent. Feeding Our Future works as an administrator of this federal money for the smaller nonprofits by accepting and submitting their applications to the Minnesota Department of Education, which acts as an intermediary between Feeding Our Future and the federal government. Or call us at 612-548-4344. Probation and Pretrial Services Office. Mohamud ran the Stigma-Free Willmar site. 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. Bock: Absolutely, and they are approved by the state. All rights reserved. Omar ran the Stigma-Free Waite Park site. I commend the work of the skilled investigators and prosecutors who unraveled the lies, deception and mountains of false documentation to bring this complex case to light.. Schools were shut down. It consisted of a kitchen upgrade, which is still in process. These defendants exploited a program designed to provide nutritious food to needy children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two more people have since been charged. Charges against a 48th person were unsealed later in the day. Here at FEEDING OUR FUTURE, we are driven by a single goal; making participation in the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program safe and easy for our community partners. Our winter sustainer campaign is happening now! "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. Be as detailed as possible. The leaders of Stigma-Free Willmar pocketed more than $4 million. I believe it was his company that purchased it, and theyve owned childcare centers in the past. : The following people are named in the indictment United States v. Qamar Ahmed Hassan, et al. 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. Udoibok: Stolen, thats another objection. They purchase the food. Udoibok: I was a prosecutor before. Sahan Journal publishes deep, reported news for and with immigrants and communities of colorthe kind of stories you wont find anywhere else. Bock declined to comment as she walked through the courthouse lobby and passed through security screening to surrender herself to authorities. I havent read it yet, Udoibok said of the charging document. / CBS Minnesota. Again, the meals are reimbursed. . Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. No. It wasnt real estate. Feeding Our Future employees recruited individuals and entities to open Federal Child Nutrition Program sites throughout the state of Minnesota, the release says. A few days ago, on February 25th, 2022, a not-for-profit organization called Feeding Our Future announced that it is dissolving its operations. Ghedi created ASA Limited LLC, a site that received approximately $5 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Help us reach 150 new monthly sustainers by March 15. She . Many of these kickbacks were paid in cash or disguised as consulting fees paid to shell companies created by Feeding Our Future employees to make them appear legitimate.. MDE spokesperson Ashleigh Norris said the department cannot comment on ongoing litigation. "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.". "Feeding Our Future went from receiving and disbursing approximately $3.4. Salim Ahmed Said, 33, of Plymouth, 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. I started Sahan Journal to provide committed coverage to immigrants and people of color in Minnesota. Im not sure how they would determine that the money came from the child nutrition program, because by the time food distributors get the money, its their general fund money. 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 arrived at the federal courthouse in downtown Minneapolis about 10:45 a.m. Tuesday with her attorneys Kenneth Udoibok and Nancy Hylden. Most of the time it is a for-profit organization like a grocery store or restaurant. none of the money has been used to feed children"; the scheme is going"; and nearly all $244 million was illegally converted to personal use, according to the FBI. The stories that come from Minnesotas diverse communities are priceless. Chao Xiong and Becky Z. Dernbach contributed reporting. Feeding Our Future was legally allowed to keep up to 15 percent of the funds it received as administrative fees. 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. Bock says the smaller nonprofits that serve meals to kids must buy food from a food distributor. Heres what Bock said she wants people to know. Aimee has 7 jobs listed on their profile. Schools were shut down. 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aimee bock, feeding our future mn