Federal Court in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota Sentences Feeding Our Future Figure Salim Said on October 28: 30 Years in Prison and Over $44 Million in Restitution
A federal court in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, on October 28 sentenced Salim Said, a key figure in the 'Feeding Our Future' fraud case, to 30 years in federal prison and ordered him to pay more than $44 million in restitution.
A jury convicted Said in 2025 on 21 counts. Prosecutors say the operation tied to his Safari Restaurant defrauded the federal pandemic-era child nutrition program of more than $44 million. Said was convicted alongside the nonprofit's founder, Aimee Bock, in one of the largest federal benefits fraud cases in Minnesota in recent years.
In sentencing, the judge adopted the prosecution's calculation of the loss amount, and the restitution matches the scale of the fraud. Federal prosecutors have said the program was meant to feed children during the pandemic, but the funds were diverted to other uses, seriously damaging public trust in the program.
The sentence comes amid heated debate in Minnesota over oversight of government programs and fraud accountability, with gubernatorial candidates weighing in on audits and accountability. Federal justice authorities will continue to follow enforcement and recovery in the Said case.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 亨内平县政府建筑，位于明尼阿波利斯。 / The Hennepin County government building in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
