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MINNESOTA (WCCO) -- A jury delivered a string of guilty verdicts Wednesday afternoon in what prosecutors call the largest pandemic fraud case in the country.
The jury heard closing arguments Tuesday against accused Feeding Our Future ring leader Aimee Bock and her co-defendant Salim Said. The pair were accused of taking tens of millions of dollars meant to feed hungry children.
The jury began deliberating Wednesday and, within about five hours, reached guilty verdicts on multiple criminal counts, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery. Every count the jury considered came back with a guilty verdict.
The judge ruled that they remain in custody, saying that because their "fraud scene was premised on deception," the court had concerns they would use similar tactics to flee.
"Both displayed patterns of deception and an absolute inability to comply with authority," the judge said.
Said owned and operated Safari Restaurant, a site that received more than $16 million in fraudulent funds. Prosecutors say it was a team effort, alleging that Said devised fake meal counts, rosters and invoices and Bock submitted them to the state department for funding.
The pair "worked together every step of the way to carry out this fraud scheme," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry Jacobs "and they both got rich doing it."
Bock's attorney disputed that, maintaining she wasn't aware of any fraud happening. Said's attorney argues others took his legitimate business and corrupted it.
Before closing arguments, prosecutors questioned Said on his "lavish" spending on real estate, clothing and more. He didn't deny the spending, but repeatedly told prosecutors that he spent money he earned.
Bock and Said are two of 70 people charged in the scheme. Roughly 30 others have pleaded guilty and five others were convicted.
Earlier this year, a separate Feeding Our Future defendant admitted to witness tampering in connection with a $120,000 bribery attempt of a juror. Documents say Ladan Ali flew in from Seattle in May 2024 and followed a juror home after the first day of closing arguments, and then two days later handed a bag containing the cash to the juror's relative and told them there would be more if the juror voted to acquit all the defendants.
