Minnesota Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Massive COVID-19 Food Fraud Scheme, Drawing Trump's Ire

A 37-year-old man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for his significant role in a large-scale fraud scheme that exploited a United States food program in Minnesota during the COVID-19 pandemic. This case has garnered substantial national attention and faced political pressure from President Donald Trump.

The extensive scheme in Minnesota led to numerous convictions and has been a frequent target of criticism from Trump. He has attacked the Democratic governor for failing to prevent the fraud and used it as a basis for advocating for immigration crackdowns in the state's major cities.

Salim Said, who managed Safari Restaurant in Minneapolis, was accused of falsifying the number of meals served when applying for payments for providing food to underprivileged children. The government stated that he was responsible for $44 million in fraudulent claims, with some of the fraud committed by individuals he enlisted.

US District Judge Nancy Brasel stated, "You took more than taxpayers’ dollars to enrich yourself. You took the reputation of our state down with you." Prosecutors revealed in a court filing that Said claimed a "ridiculous daily distribution of 6,000 meals," despite FBI surveillance showing only about 40 people collecting food daily.

"The defendant and his sites did not serve thousands of children; he served a calculated, lucrative lie," prosecutors argued. Said, who was born in Somalia, initially denied the charges during his 2025 trial, asserting that many meals were delivered off-site. However, he later expressed remorse at his sentencing hearing on Wednesday.

His defense lawyer, Barry Zone, who had requested a 12-year sentence, contested the government's assertion that Said was the "architect" of the scheme. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted changes to a federal program that typically provided meals to children through schools, allowing restaurants to participate and expanding distribution beyond school grounds.

Prosecutors noted, "For 21 consecutive months, Said made thousands of fraudulent reimbursement claims." They added, "Each submission represented meals purportedly provided to underprivileged children, yet the listed children themselves were entirely fictitious." The government reported that Said used the illicit funds to purchase a $1.2 million home, commercial real estate, and an $87,000 pickup truck.

Said was convicted in 2025 along with Aimee Bock, the leader of the Minnesota nonprofit Feeding Our Future. Bock is currently serving a 42-year prison sentence for orchestrating the scheme and was ordered to repay $242 million. State auditors discovered that Minnesota's education department received multiple complaints regarding Feeding Our Future but frequently instructed the organization to self-regulate.

Following persistent criticism from Trump regarding theft in federally funded programs, Governor Tim Walz announced in January that he would not seek re-election.