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Minnesota Fraud: More plea deals expected in Feeding Our Future Scandal
More defendants in the Feeding Our Future scandal are expected to take plea deals after initially pleading not guilty. Meanwhile, Aimee Bock, who prosecutors say was the "ringleader" of the fraud scheme, has yet to be sentenced. FOX 9's Bill Keller has the latest details.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Four people charged in connection with the Feeding Our Future scheme are expected to take plea deals in court on Friday.
Feeding Our Future plea deals
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Feeding Our Future: More plea deals ahead of trial
More plea deals are coming in for the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme ahead of a scheduled trial in April. FOX 9's Rob Olson has more.
Big picture view:
The first charges in the Feeding Our Future scheme came down in 2022 and the scheme involves accusations of stealing over $250 million intended for pandemic relief to feed children. Since then, 79 people have been charged, with most pleading guilty or being convicted at trial.
Four of the seven people who were set to go on trial next month are now expected to plead guilty in court on Friday. Their charges range from conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and bribery involving federal programs.
Earlier this week, Ikram Mohamed and Shakur Abdi-Salam, who were set for trial next month, appeared in Minneapolis Federal Court in change-of-plea hearings, and both pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
Plea deal rejected
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More guilty pleas in Feeding Our Future fraud scheme
More defendants are pleading guilty in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. FOX 9's Rob Olson has the latest.
Dig deeper:
Gandi Mohamed rejected a plea deal from federal prosecutors on Wednesday and will now stand trial in April.
Mohamed is charged with wire fraud and laundering more than a million dollars from the federal child nutrition program.
Mohamed was supposed to stand trial with his sister and her husband, but they both have since pleaded guilty.
‘Ringleader’ not yet sentenced a year after conviction
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Aimee Bock's attorney on swift Feeding Our Future guilty verdict
Feeding Our Future fraud ringleader Aimee Bock was found guilty. Her attorney spoke after the verdict on Wednesday about the swift verdict.
Local perspective:
Aimee Bock, who prosecutors call the "Ringleader" behind the pandemic fraud scheme, was found guilty following a six-week trial in March 2025.
Bock faces decades in prison, but has yet to be sentenced.
Courthouse workload
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Who will prosecute Feeding our Future defendants?
A federal judge is raising questions on if the seven defendants in the Feeding our Future fraud case can get a fair trial in Minnesota. And who will do the prosecution now that Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson is resigning? FOX 9's Paul Blume has more.
Why you should care:
If accepted, the guilty pleas would give federal prosecutors four more convictions and avoid additional trials.
This would save resources during a time when the U.S. Attorney for Minnesota admits his office is understaffed following several prosecutors departing during a federal immigration enforcement surge in the state.
The Source: This story uses information gathered from court documents and previous FOX 9 reporting.