Saturday March 8, 2025
Aimee Bock took the stand Friday in the Feeding Our Future trial.Cedric Hohnstadt
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn (HOL) — Aimee Bock, the founder of Feeding Our Future, took the witness stand late Friday afternoon in what has been described as one of the largest pandemic-related fraud trials in the United States. The trial, which has been unfolding for four weeks, centers around an alleged $250 million scheme that prosecutors say involved fraudulent reimbursement claims for meals never served to children. Bock, facing seven felony charges including wire fraud and bribery, has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Federal prosecutors formally rested their case Friday after calling more than 30 witnesses, including FBI forensic accountants, former board members, and government officials. They presented evidence alleging that Bock knowingly facilitated fraudulent claims through her nonprofit, which served as an intermediary between federal food-aid funds and meal distribution sites.
Bock’s attorney, Kenneth Udoibok, launched the defence’s case by calling Bock herself as the first witness. Despite previous uncertainty about whether she would testify, Bock took the stand and provided testimony primarily focused on her background, education, and the formation of Feeding Our Future.
Speaking in measured tones, Bock described her organization as one that “lacked structure” and was overwhelmed by its rapid growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. She stated that at its peak in 2021, the nonprofit employed around 100 people and processed federal food-aid payments for nearly 300 meal sites across Minnesota.
However, her testimony did little to directly address the allegations of fraud. Instead, when asked about Abdikerm Eidleh, a former Feeding Our Future program support manager who allegedly coordinated fraudulent meal site claims and fled to Somalia in 2021, Bock tersely responded, “A horrible person.” Prosecutors allege that Eidleh helped recruit meal site operators and guided them in inflating meal numbers to claim millions in federal reimbursements.
One of the prosecution’s most damning pieces of evidence comes from FBI forensic accountants, who tracked millions of dollars funnelled through Feeding Our Future to questionable entities.
One forensic expert testified that Bock funnelled at least $1.9 million into personal accounts and those of her boyfriend, Empress Watson Jr., a handyman with no verified business records. Bank statements presented in court showed that Feeding Our Future paid Watson’s business, Handy Helpers LLC, nearly $900,000 over 20 months.
Instead of funding legitimate business expenses, evidence presented in court revealed that Watson used these funds for:
- $30,000 worth of designer shoes and clothing
- $20,000 at Dick’s Sporting Goods
- $8,000 at Wedding Day Diamonds
- $50,000 in travel expenses, including multiple trips to Las Vegas
- Luxury car rentals, including a $2,297-per-day Lamborghini
Defence attorney Udoibok attempted to introduce Bock’s job description and an accounting firm agreement as evidence to demonstrate her role was administrative rather than criminal. However, U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel sustained objections from prosecutors, citing the “untrustworthiness” of the defendant’s self-created documents.
Brasel has previously warned Udoibok against wasting court time by reintroducing issues already examined in earlier testimony. The ruling was another setback for the defence, which has struggled to counter the extensive paper trail linking Bock to the fraudulent transactions.
The prosecution has benefited from testimony by six business owners who admitted to falsifying meal records and providing kickbacks in exchange for federal reimbursements. These individuals, many of whom pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy charges, painted Bock as the orchestrator of the scheme.
Additionally, prosecutors pointed to text messages recovered from Bock’s phone, showing that she engaged in discussions about prepaying fraudulent meal vendors, including co-defendant Salim Said, former co-owner of Safari Restaurant, which received over $44 million in federal funds under Feeding Our Future’s sponsorship.
Bock’s testimony was cut short due to a scheduled court recess. She is expected to resume testifying Wednesday morning, after which Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson will begin cross-examination. Given Thompson’s extensive three-year investigation into the case, legal analysts expect an aggressive line of questioning focusing on Bock’s financial dealings and administrative oversight.
The trial, already one of the most high-profile financial fraud cases in Minnesota’s history, is expected to last several more weeks. Meanwhile, federal authorities continue to investigate additional individuals and entities connected to Feeding Our Future’s web of fraudulent operations.