MINNEAPOLIS -- Salim Said, a key figure in a large-scale fraud operation that exploited a federal food program in Minnesota, was sentenced Wednesday to 30 years in prison. The sentencing marks another significant punishment in a sprawling scheme that aimed to collect millions of dollars by falsely claiming to have fed needy children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Said operated Safari Restaurant in Minneapolis and was accused of inflating meal numbers to receive payments from the program. Prosecutors stated that he was responsible for $44 million in fraud, with some of the fraudulent activity committed by individuals he recruited. Evidence presented in court indicated that Said claimed a daily distribution of 6,000 meals, while FBI surveillance showed 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 stated in court documents.
The federal program, which typically provided meals to children through schools, saw changes during the pandemic allowing restaurants to participate and extending distribution beyond school settings. Prosecutors detailed that for 21 consecutive months, Said submitted thousands of fraudulent reimbursement claims, each representing meals purportedly provided to fictitious children.
During the investigation, the government alleged that Said purchased a $1.2 million home, commercial real estate, and an $87,000 pickup truck with the proceeds of the fraud.
Said was convicted in 2025 on multiple charges, alongside Aimee Bock, the leader of the Minnesota nonprofit Feeding Our Future. Bock, who is serving a 42-year sentence, is credited with devising the overall plan to recruit individuals like Said into the federal food program during the pandemic.
The scale of the fraud in Minnesota has drawn national attention. State auditors found that the Minnesota Department of Education had received numerous complaints regarding Feeding Our Future but often directed the group to self-regulate. In January, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced he would not seek reelection, facing criticism partly related to the theft in programs reliant on federal funding.