Feeding Our Future

Aimee Bock, the founder and executive director of Feeding Our Future, agreed that federal prosecutors have proven fraud occurred in the meal sites and vendors she sponsored.

Aimee Bock contended that wire fraud was committed by other people who simply copied her on emails, that she never demanded bribes or kickbacks, and that there was no agreement with anyone to do either of those things.

For weeks, the big question was whether Aimee Bock would testify in her own defense. Friday afternoon, right after the prosecution rested their case, the answer came when she took the stand.

The 37th defendant to plead guilty in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme will face an enhanced sentence after he tried to tamper with a witness about to testify in trial. 

The last witness for the prosecution in the federal trial of Aimee Bock and Salim Said will wrap up her testimony on Friday morning, bringing to the end the fourth week in court.  

In late 2019, months before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, Aimee Bock leased a space in a Burnsville strip mall.  Documents shown to her jury show she intended to open a daycare. She never did.

In a text exchange, after someone involved in Feeding Our Future began making accusations of fraud, Aimee Bock sought to keep them quiet.

Mohamed Hussein said it was in the spring of 2020 when two men from Feeding Our Future came to his wife’s small restaurant in Faribault to recruit them to become a meal site for children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jamie Phelps told jurors that the first time his name was in the newspaper was after his team broke the distance record for the Red Bull Flugtag in St. Paul. The second time was when he learned he was listed as the treasurer for Feeding Our Future.

Hanna Marekegn testified that suspected Feeding Our Future fraud ringleader Aimee Bock had given her the "American dream life" allowing them "to own houses, good cars, and we were living very large." She also testified that it was all fraud and Aimee Bock knew it.