The mastermind behind a $250 million Somali-linked fraud scheme in Minnesota has expressed self-pity in a jailhouse interview just hours before her sentencing. Aimee Bock, 45, was convicted last March on multiple counts of conspiracy, wire fraud, and bribery for her role in the Feeding Our Future scam, which prosecutors have labelled the largest Covid-era fraud in the United States.
The Scale of the Fraud
Feeding Our Future received approximately $250 million in federal funds while falsely claiming to have served 91 million meals to hungry children, according to prosecutors. Instead of feeding the needy, the money was diverted to fund lavish lifestyles, including Bock's own. Dozens of individuals, many from Minnesota's large Somali community, have been convicted for their involvement in a series of overlapping food fraud cases.
Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of up to 50 years for Bock, while her defence lawyer has argued for time served or a maximum of three years. Sentencing is scheduled for Thursday.
Bock's Interview and Claims of Ignorance
In an interview with KSTP on Wednesday, Bock insisted she did not 'intentionally, knowingly allow fraud to happen' within Feeding Our Future. 'I can promise you there's probably no one that's more angry and upset and hurt that fraud occurred within this program than I am,' she said. 'Unfortunately, I trusted people that were not trustworthy. I believed people when I shouldn't have, and for that, I am responsible.'
Bock is one of 79 people charged in connection with the case. Minnesota US Attorney Daniel Rosen has pushed for a 50-year sentence, stating that it 'appropriately reflects the seriousness of [her] crimes.' He added, 'The brazen and staggering nature of her crimes has shaken Minnesota to its core, leaving lasting damage and eroding public trust. Her actions have permanently altered the state, and not for the better.'
When asked about the potential sentence, Bock described it as 'shocking, disappointing, and hurtful.' She indicated she would speak at her sentencing if given the chance, saying, 'This is such a complicated situation, much more so than I think has been shared. There's so many more layers to it than what the public has heard.'
Responsibility and Blame
Bock's attorney, Kenneth Udoibok, has requested a sentence of 37 months, arguing that she did not receive credit for documents used in criminal cases against co-conspirators. Bock herself claimed she did not know the checks submitted were fraudulent, stating they had been 'deemed valid when we submitted it.' She acknowledged, 'We missed that. Under my leadership, that was missed. I accept responsibility and blame for that. It was never intentional.'
However, prosecutors countered that her 'willful blindness' was not an excuse for her crimes. Bock's lavish expenses with misappropriated funds allegedly included $600,000 on treats while spending time with her then-boyfriend, Empress Malcolm Watson Jr, according to a search warrant. The money from the Federal Child Nutrition Program funded a no-expense-spared trip to Las Vegas, where Bock spent $21,000 at luxury car rental agency Royalty Exotic, $9,000 at Caesar's Palace, $6,700 at Gucci, and $3,500 at Louis Vuitton.
Additionally, she withdrew $184,000 in cash from federal funds and transferred roughly $113,000 to Watson's account. Watson has not been charged in the Feeding Our Future fraud but faces separate tax evasion counts.
Prosecutors have slammed Bock over the 'brazen and staggering' scheme, which is one of several industrial-scale frauds recently uncovered in Minnesota. Bock told the court she 'didn't have a clue' about the scam, but the court has yet to decide her fate.
