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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 21 september 2022
Feds: 47 exploited pandemic to steal $250M from food program

By AMY FORLITI ic fraud, including bringing themselves."
Associated Press charges in more than 1,000 The documents say Bock
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Fed- criminal cases involving oversaw the scheme and
eral authorities charged losses in excess of $1.1 bil- that she and Feeding Our
47 people in Minnesota lion. Future sponsored the open-
with conspiracy and other Federal officials repeat- ing of nearly 200 federal
counts in what they said edly described the alleged child nutrition program sites
Tuesday was the largest fraud as "brazen," and de- throughout the state, know-
fraud scheme yet to take cried that it involved a ing that the sites intended
advantage of the COV- program intended to feed to submit fraudulent claims.
ID-19 pandemic by steal- children who needed help "The sites fraudulently
ing $250 million from a fed- during the pandemic. Mi- claimed to be serving
eral program that provides chael Paul, special agent meals to thousands of chil-
meals to low-income chil- in charge of the Minneapo- dren a day within just days
dren. lis FBI office, called it "an as- or weeks of being formed
Prosecutors say the defen- tonishing display of deceit." and despite having few, Aimee Bock, the executive director of the nonprofit Feeding Our
dants created companies Luger said the government if any staff and little to no Future, speaks, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022 in St. Anthony, Minn.
that claimed to be offer- was billed for more than experience serving this vol- Associated Press
ing food to tens of thou- 125 million fake meals, with ume of meals," according
sands of children across some defendants making to the indictments. dants offered the owner listed the names of around
Minnesota, then sought up names for children by One example described a $40,000 a month to use his 2,000 children — nearly half
reimbursement for those using an online random small storefront restaurant restaurant, then billed the of the local school district's
meals through the U.S. De- name generator. He dis- in Willmar, in west-central government for some 1.6 total enrollment — and
partment of Agriculture's played one form for reim- Minnesota, that typically million meals through 11 only 33 names matched
food nutrition programs. bursement that claimed served only a few dozen months of 2021, accord- actual students, the indict-
Prosecutors say few meals a site served exactly 2,500 people a day. Two defen- ing to one indictment. They ment said.q
were actually served, and meals each day Monday
the defendants used the through Friday — with no
money to buy luxury cars, children ever getting sick or
property and jewelry. otherwise missing from the
"This $250 million is the floor," program.
Andy Luger, the U.S. attor- "These children were simply
ney for Minnesota, said at invented," Luger said.
a news conference. "Our He said the government
investigation continues." has so far recovered $50
Many of the companies million in money and prop-
that claimed to be serving erty and expects to recov-
food were sponsored by a er more.
nonprofit called Feeding The defendants in Minne-
Our Future, which submit- sota face multiple counts,
ted the companies' claims including conspiracy, wire
for reimbursement. Feed- fraud, money laundering
ing Our Future's founder and bribery. Luger said
and executive director, some of them were arrest-
Aimee Bock, was among ed Tuesday morning.
those indicted, and author- According to court docu-
ities say she and others in ments, the alleged scheme
her organization submitted targeted the USDA's feder-
the fraudulent claims for re- al child nutrition programs,
imbursement and received which provide food to
kickbacks. low-income children and
Bock's attorney, Kenneth adults. In Minnesota, the
Udoibok, said the indict- funds are administered
ment "doesn't indicate guilt by the state Department
or innocence." He said he of Education, and meals
wouldn't comment further have historically been pro-
until seeing the indictment. vided to kids through edu-
In interviews after law en- cational programs, such as
forcement searched multi- schools or day care centers.
ple sites in January, includ- But during the pandemic,
ing Bock's home and of- some of the standard re-
fices, Bock denied stealing quirements for sites to par-
money and said she never ticipate in the federal food
saw evidence of fraud. nutrition programs were
Earlier this year, the U.S. De- waived. The USDA allowed
partment of Justice made for-profit restaurants to par-
prosecuting pandemic- ticipate, and allowed food
related fraud a priority. The to be distributed outside
department has already educational programs. The
taken enforcement actions charging documents say
related to more than $8 bil- the defendants exploited
lion in suspected pandem- such changes "to enrich