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The DOJ on Tuesday charged 47 people in Minnesota for allegedly defrauding $250 million from a federal child nutrition program during the covid-19 pandemic.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement that this is the largest fraud scheme ever uncovered in connection with the pandemic.
Through the NGO Feeding Our Future, the defendants received millions of dollars from the Federal Child Nutrition Program, which they used to enrich themselves instead of feeding children.
The prosecution charges them with various crimes based on their involvement in the scheme, including conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, and bribery.
Feeding Our Future, founded by defendant Aimee Marie Bock, opened more than 250 fake food delivery points across Minnesota to enroll in the program and fraudulently obtain millions of dollars from the federal fund.
One of the outlets falsely claimed to feed 5,000 children a day.
These resources were used to pay for international travel, purchase luxury vehicles and buy property in Minnesota, Ohio, and Kentucky, as well as in Kenya and Turkey.
The NGO took advantage of the fact that during the covid-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture relaxed its requirements for child nutrition assistance.
Feeding Our Future went from receiving $3.4 million in 2019 to nearly $200 million in 2021.
