‘I feel ashamed’: Insider details role in fraud at Feeding Our Future trial

Jurors on Thursday heard from Qamar Hassan, the latest in a parade of people who have already pleaded guilty to fraud connected to Feeding Our Future and are now testifying about how they stole millions of dollars in government aid.

Aimee Bock, founder of the non-profit, and Salim Said, co-owner of Safari Restaurant, are accused of orchestrating the plan that siphoned $250 million in Child Nutrition Program funds.

Hassan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. She testified at the trial as part of a plea agreement.

Hassan told jurors how she opened a site out of S&S catering, a company she co-owned with Sahra Nur. They initially claimed to serve 2,500 meals per day — numbers that Hassan admitted were false. In total, they claimed to serve 1.2 million meals and received $6.8 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

“I feel ashamed,” she said of her involvement in the fraud scheme.

Jurors later heard from FBI Special Agent Jared Kary, who also testified last week. This time, he spoke about a building located at 2854 Columbus Avenue South in Minneapolis.

Prosecutors showed the jury a photo of the building, which was covered in graffiti. FBI investigators surveilled the building via a camera on a nearby pole.

“It looked like an abandoned building,” testified Kary when asked about the number of people he saw coming and going.

Despite the lack of traffic, Feeding Our Future sponsored two food distribution sites out of the building — Feeding Our Future Taylor and Southside Youth. Both sites claimed to be serving 2,000 children per day and said their lists of children didn’t overlap — something that Bock told the Minnesota Department of Health in an email that she verified.

Earlier in the day, attorneys finished questioning FBI Special Agent Travis Wilmer, who began testifying on Wednesday.

Track KSTP’s full coverage of the Feeding Our Future case here.