{"id":638,"date":"2026-05-17T03:01:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-17T03:01:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/humanitystories.pics\/?p=638"},"modified":"2026-05-17T03:01:18","modified_gmt":"2026-05-17T03:01:18","slug":"minnesota-squad-rep-ilhan-omar-knew-about-250m-covid-meal-fraud-scheme-mastermind-claims-in-jailhouse-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/humanitystories.pics\/?p=638","title":{"rendered":"Minnesota \u2018Squad\u2019 Rep. Ilhan Omar knew about $250M COVID meal fraud, scheme \u2018mastermind\u2019 claims in jailhouse interview"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Minnesota \u201cmastermind\u201d of the state\u2019s massive COVID meal fraud claims\u00a0\u201cSquad\u201d Rep. Ilhan Omar<\/a>\u00a0was in on the $250 million scam.<\/p>\n

Aimee Bock, founder of nonprofit Feeding Our Future, was convicted in March 2025 of conspiracy, bribery and wire fraud for allegedly helping restaurant owners file fake or inflated claims during the pandemic to steal millions in child nutrition funds from the government.<\/p>\n

She spoke to The Post by video call this week from Sherburne County Jail, where she is awaiting sentencing.<\/p>\n

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\"Aimee6<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
Aimee Bock said the government used her as a scapegoat and believes it was aware of the rampant fraud.AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI struggle\u00a0to\u00a0believe\u00a0that\u00a0she\u00a0wouldn\u2019t\u00a0have\u00a0known,\u201d Bock said of Omar.<\/p>\n

Dozens of members of Minnesota\u2019s Somali community have been\u00a0convicted of fraudulently billing the state\u2019s Department of Education<\/a>\u00a0for millions of meals they claimed they served to low-income children during the COVID outbreak \u2014 while pocketing much of the money.<\/p>\n