Aimee Bock is the founder of non-profit group
Feeding Our Future. She along with 46 others has been charged in the food scam
discovered by US federal agents. Federal prosecutors say Bock, whose
organisation was tasked with supervising food distribution in the State of Minnesota
during the coronavirus pandemic, was actively involved in submitting fake or inflated
invoices. Aimee Bock has denied all allegations saying that even if fraud
occurred, it was without her knowledge.

Who is Aimee Bock?

Aimee Bock, 41, is the founder of the now-defunct
non-profit Feeding Our Future. Bock graduated from the University of Minnesota
with a degree in elementary education in 2003. She then went on to work as a substitute
teacher. In 2008, Aimee Bock started working at a day-care centre in
Burnsville, Minnesota. She went from being an infant teacher to director in
four years, according to ghlinks.com.

Also Read | Aimee Bock: 3 things you need to know about Feeding Our Future founder

Why is Aimee Bock under the scanner?

Aimee Bock is regarded as the ringleader in the
$250 million fake food scam. Her non-profit, tasked with supervising food distribution
through the federal grants programme, allegedly brought in 200 new feeding
operations under the group and produced fake or inflated invoices.

Also Read | Food fraud: $250 million stolen from children’s scheme in US, 47 charged

US Attorney for Minnesota Andrew Luger, speaking of
the scam at a press conference, said, “This is a scheme that begins with Aimee
Bock and Feeding Our Future.” It was at this presser that Luger read out the
charges against 47 suspects.

Also Read | How Aimee Bock and 46 others allegedly siphoned funds from child food scheme

“In effect, Feeding Our Future operated a
pay-to-play scheme in which individuals seeking to operate fraudulent sites
under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future had to kick back a portion of their
fraudulent proceeds,” an indictment accessed by and reported by the New York
Times read.

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Michael Paul, an FBI special agent, said: “The
subjects in this case weren’t interested in feeding our future. They were
interested in feeding their own gluttony.”

Also Read | What is Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock’s now-defunct non-profit?

What does Aimee Bock have to say?

Indicted under charges of wire fraud and bribery,
Aimee Bock said that even if fraud was committed, it had occurred without her
knowledge. Bock had previously defended herself in interviews given to the
Sahan Journal.