Feeding Our Future fraud: Woman sentenced, ordered to forfeit home
Feeding Our Future fraud: Opening statements underway
Opening statements are underway in the federal trial of Aimee Bock, who is accused of orchestrating the massive Feeding Our Future fraud scheme.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - As the suspected ringleader in the multi-million dollar Feeding Our Future fraud case faces trial this week, a co-defendant was sentenced to prison last week as part of the case – while four others entered guilty pleas.
The backstory:
Prosecutors say more than $250 million of money from the Federal Child Nutrition Program, meant to feed children during the pandemic, was diverted by the defendants.
Authorities say defendants lied about serving meals to children, often fabricating documents, and pocketed the proceeds. The scheme revolved around the nonprofit Feeding Our Future.
This week, Feeding Our Future founder Aimee Bock is facing trial on charges connected to the scheme.
Feeding our Future: Political reaction
Following a report detailing one of the largest pandemic-era benefit frauds in the nation, Minnesota politicians have been critical of the lack of oversight in the program.
What we know:
Sharon Ross, 54, of Willernie was sentenced to more than 3.5 years behind bars for her role in the fraud. She will also serve three years of supervised release after her prison time.
She was also ordered to pay $2.4 million in restitution and had to forfeit all property obtained through the fraud, including her home.
Ross was the executive director of House of Refuge Twin Cities, which claimed to run multiple food distribution sites in the Twin Cities under Feeding Our Future. Prosecutors say Ross' organization lied about serving nearly 900,000 meals, and she received about $2.4 million in fraudulent funds.
In court, Judge Nancy Brasel pointed out Ross was on probation for another fraud case when the scheme was underway.
New guilty pleas:
At the same time, other defendants entered guilty pleas last week, including Zamzam Jama, 50, and Mustafa Jama, 48, of Rochester and Asha Jama, 42, of Lakeville.
The trio pleaded guilty of laundering money paid by Feeding Our Future through the Federal Child Nutrition Program through the Rochester restaurant Brava. Brava Restaurant enrolled as a distribution site under the Federal Child Nutrition Program through Feeding Our Future in October 2020.
Abduljabar Hussein also entered a guilty plea, joining his wife who pleaded guilty days before.