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. We had no convenience stores. 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. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. 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. Coupled that with the fact that it was the week of George Floyds murder. Aimee Marie Bock, 41, Apple Valley, founder and executive director of Feeding Our Future. Schools were shut down. If the government said in an affidavit, Judge, theres $600,000 from Feeding Our Future to a company run by her boyfriend, they would still get the warrant. No charges have been filed against Bock, Feeding our Future, or anyone else named in the search warrants. 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. Meanwhile, Aimee Bock of Feeding. When the Minnesota Department of Education started asking questions about the claims, Bock and Feeding Our Future gave false assurances that they were monitoring the sites under its sponsorship and that the sites were serving the meals as claimed, the news release says. View Aimee Bock's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. Authorities say Bock and others in her organization submitted the fraudulent claims for reimbursement and received kickbacks. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc. Bock. 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. Between 2018 and 2021, Feeding Our Future grew rapidly in accessing this money, from $307,000 the first year to $3.5 million in 2019, $43 million in 2020, and $198 million last year. Bocks LinkedIn page says she has a masters degree in educational leadership and administration from Argosy University in the Twin Cities and a bachelors degree from the University of Minnesota-Duluth. I wish that the government had taken that into consideration when making this allegation. Subscribe to our free newsletter! Feds investigate nonprofit incorporated by Minneapolis City Council Member Jamal Osman in alleged Feeding Our Future food fraud. Bock previously told Sahan Journal that the $310,000 transaction actually involved the purchase of a daycare business that she founded in 2019. Ghedi created ASA Limited LLC, a site that received approximately $5 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. 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. The law does not require her to sit at 200 centers and count the kids. Bock: We spoke with our respective attorneys and reviewed the documents, but no, it wasnt through a realtor. Bock was the founder and executive director of Feeding Our Future. Together, they allocated more than $4 billion a year to feed 7 million children across the country. Bock, 41, has staunchly defended herself and her organization in previous interviews with Sahan Journal. Sometimes, this prompts Feeding Our Future to reject nonprofits attempts to access child nutrition program money. 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. Regardless of whether hes my boyfriend, I have no say. Her role does not go beyond that. 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. Unlock our in-depth reporting by signing up for our free newsletter. Subscribe to our channel for compelling and dramatic storytelling, award winning investigations, breaking news and information you can use. While at the Port Huron Times Herald in Michigan, she covered the environment and several suburbs, and she was a columnist. Sahan Journal publishes deep, reported news for and with immigrants and communities of colorthe kind of stories you wont find anywhere else. Mohamud ran the Stigma-Free Willmar site. Were saying that MDE fed the federal government with bad information. Before Aimee Bock got involved in federal food aid programs, she worked as a child care instructor. Why are we only looking at the profit margins of our small minority-owned businesses? She created a contract stating the transaction involved selling a childcare center to make it appear legitimate, the indictment alleges. Child nutrition programs include money for administration and for maintenance, because you have to be able to sustain a business. She said Feeding Our Futures board of directors signed off on the project. Aimee Bock is the Founder of Feeding our Future, from Rosemount, Minnesota, United States. Is that a criminal act? The search warrants alleged that Bock used some of the $310,000 money on personal purchases at HOM Furniture and an Eagan mall, and spent more than $15,000 at a car dealership. Udoibok: Feeding Our Future and Ms. Bock only paid based on receipts and evidence of service performed. Prosecutors say few meals were actually served. We had no grocery stores on Lake Street. This is a full-time salaried position. We invite you to learn more about the food program and the financial benefit available to your program. Contact us atmembership@sahanjournal.com. That Feeding Our Future grew too fast. 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". Thats my opinion. Then, Feeding Our Future reviews these records and decides whether they meet federal guidelines. Money Meant For Student May Have Gone To Luxury Homes, Car. They were down to a couple of gas stations. This is to ensure that nonprofits are serving the right food to qualify for the federal money. Gov't billed for more than 125M fake meals, with some defendants making up kids with online random name generator: authorities. . Bock says the smaller nonprofits that serve meals to kids must buy food from a food distributor. Bock: I think the feds are acting on bad intel. Prosecutors say the defendants created companies that claimed to be offering food to tens of thousands of children across Minnesota, then sought reimbursement for those meals through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's food nutrition programs. Get news and stories that illuminate the lives and experiences of Minnesotas immigrants and communities of color. That case has since been dismissed. Do you have a news tip or story idea to share with us? The other reality is due to the COVID pandemic, the USDA issued waivers that allow parent pickup as well as home delivery. She was an MNCPD-approved trainer, a board member of Early Childhood Family Education and a substitute teacher. Bock: If we have an invoice that just simply says breakfast, that doesnt tell me enough. Udoibok: Stolen, thats another objection. Bock said she wasnt part of the decision to hire her boyfriend. We want to hear from you. Overall, federal prosecutors allege individuals stole more than $250 millionthe largest COVID pandemic fraud in the country. This was a brazen scheme of staggering proportions, said U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger for the District of Minnesota. 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. : The following people are named in the indictment United States v. Liban Yasin Alishire, et al. Subscribe to our free newsletter! The following defendants are named in the United States v. Aimee Marie Bock, et al. Our winter sustainer campaign is happening now! Current Partners board members declined KARE 11's requests as well. According to the government, the defendants devised and carried out a massive scheme to defraud the Federal Child Nutrition Program.. FBI investigates Minnesota nonprofit for allegedly misusing millions of dollars meant to feed kids, According to an FBI warrant, Feeding Our Future's federal funding grew from $3.4 million in 2019 to more than $197 million in 2021. If youre buying doughnuts, that doesnt count. That means it needs to be free! 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. Free-food lawsuits may be Minnesota's biggest growth industry. Investigators accused Bock, the executive director of Feeding Our Future, of receiving a $310,000 kickback from a restaurant owner involved in the scheme. No charges have been filed against Bock, Feeding our Future, or anyone else named in the search warrants. 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. Bock was one of 47 defendants accused in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, DOJ says. I personally am passionate about making sure kids have the basic fundamentals of life, food. Feeding Our Future was legally allowed to keep up to 15 percent of the funds it received as administrative fees. Why is nobody asking them where their profit margins went? But the roster, authorities say, was fake. 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. Main address. The department began scrutinizing Feeding Our Future's site applications more carefully, and denied dozens of them. She . Bocks lawyer told the publication he believes the genesis of the federal investigation into Bock derived from Lomen. 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.. She denied it was a kickback,. 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