The sentencing of Aimee Bock, who was convicted of being the ringleader of the $250 million fraud scheme, brings an end to the case that involved the theft of pandemic relief funds. Her attorney argued that she was trying to help the East African community, while the acting attorney said he doesn't take Bock's words at face value.
Aimee Bock , the woman accused of being the ringleader in the massive Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, is set to be sentenced on Wednesday morning.
Prosecutors say the scheme involved roughly $250 million in stolen pandemic relief funds. FOX 9's Bill Keller reports. Aimee Bock, the convicted ringleader of the $250 million Feeding our Future fraud scheme in Minnesota, was sentenced to 41.5 years in prison and ordered to pay $243 million in restitution to the federal government.
Her defense attorney argued she was trying to help the East African community and was betrayed by those she helped, while former acting attorney Joe Thompson said after court he"doesn't take anything Bock says at face value.
"A judge has sentenced Aimee Bock to 41.5 years in prison for her role in the Feeding our Future fraud scheme. After court, former acting attorney Joe Thompson spoke with media members. He reacted to Bock getting emotion in the courtroom.
"I don't take anything Aimee Bock says at face value," Thompson said. "Obviously, I'm sure she's emotional and sad. It's hard to watch someone be sentenced. That's true in any case, regardless of how bad the crime is.
" Bock's attorney, Kenneth Ubong Udoibok, tried to paint Bock as a do-gooder who was trying to help the East African community with her nonprofit. "Aimee Bock wanted to give access to food programs and professionalism," Udoibok said. "She didn't set out to commit fraud. She saw the East African communities.
She saw minorities in need of food and professional development. She gave them access, and they betrayed her. And she's going away for 42 years.
" When pushed by a reporter that Bock "poked the bear" Udoibok admitted she did. "And you don't fight city hall," he responded. Aimee Bock, the woman prosecutors called the mastermind behind the massive $250 million Feeding our Future fraud scheme, was sentenced on Thursday, more than a year after she was found guilty on charges connected to the case. A judge sentenced her to 41.5 years behind bars.
In this video, prosecutors and Bock's defense attorney react to the sentence. Before the judge, Bock said: "I understand I failed. I failed the public, my family, everyone.
"Prosecution say Bock's actions caused lasting harm to Minnesota as they make their final arguments before her sentence is handed down. "The state of Minnesota will never be the same because of the actions of Amy Bock," the prosecution argued. The remarks are similar to what prosecutors wrote in the sentencing recommendations this week. Again, they are asking that Bock get 50 years in prison.
Judge Brasel agrees the 100-year max guideline is appropriate for Bock. Former U.S. District Attorney for Minnesota Joe Thompson and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Ebert react following the sentencing of Aimee Bock, the mastermind behind the $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. Bock was sentenced to 41.5 years in prison and ordered to pay $243 million in restitution. The judge finds Bock committed perjury during testimony, lying about recruiting board members for Feeding our Future.
Judge Brasel has ruled that Bock should be held accountable for the full $243 million fraud conspiracy, pointing to her leadership role within Feeding our Future.9:23 a.m. – Judge works to establish proper sentencing guidelinesProsecutors argued in their recommendations that, as the ringleader of the massive $250 million fraud scheme, Bock should face up to 100 years behind bars. They ultimately recommended 50 years in prison.
Bock's attorneys argued that since she received far less from the scheme than the total $250 million, a three-year sentence was more fitting. Aimee bock arrives in court shortly after 9 a.m. dressed in a baggy green jailhouse uniform. There isn't an empty seat in the courthouse for the sentencing between media, spectators and even former U.S. Attorney prosecutors who have shown up.
That includes former acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson, who was lead prosecutor on the Feeding our Future case. Thompson left the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minnesota at the height of the federal surge in January. Defense attorney Kenneth Udoibok speaks after Feeding Our Future founder Aimee Bock was sentenced to 41.5 years in prison in the $250 million fraud case. Udoibok disputed the government’s characterization of Bock’s role in the scheme and said an appeal is likely.
More than a year after she was found guilty of her role in the fraud scheme, former Feeding our Future founder Aimee Bock was finally sentenced on Thursday. Bock was found guilty of seven counts at trial, including wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery and federal programs bribery.
At trial, prosecutors showed Bock recruited food vendors and restaurants to enroll in the federal child nutrition program under Feeding our Future's sponsorship, and claimed to serve thousands of meals to children during the pandemic. Authorities say the vendors either lied about the number of meals served or inflated the number of meals served and pocketed the excess funds.
"Her actions have permanently altered the state, and not for the better," prosecutors write. "The Court must send a clear and unequivocal message to Bock and to anyone who might believe they can exploit state and federal safety net programs that such conduct will be met with the strongest possible consequences. Stealing funds intended to feed children is a profound breach of trust that demands accountability.
" Prosecutors said Bock has never admitted to the crimes or shown regret. While behind bars, prosecutors say she broke a court protective order by telling her son to send anonymous emails to state lawmakers claiming she was set up as a scapegoat by Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison.
"To this day, Bock has denied responsibility for her crimes. She has not expressed an ounce of remorse for her actions. She appears to have felt no shame.
"In response to the government, Bock's attorneys pointed out that she had records of terminating vendors from Feeding our Future for fraud. Her attorneys claimed that she was "isolated" because she didn't speak the Somali language like other defendants in the fraud case and wasn't aware of the fraud. They also try to shift the blame on the Minnesota Department of Education, saying the state was aware of fraud as early as 2020 but failed to act.
However, it's worth noting that the state did attempt to shut down Feeding our Future in 2020 and Bock sued to stop it – then celebrated when they won the lawsuit.
Aimee Bock Feeling Our Future Fraud Scheme Stolen Pandemic Relief Funds Sentencing Defense Attorney Acting Attorney 41.5 Years In Prison Sentence Recommendation Leading Role
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