30 Years in Prison: The Sentence for a $44 Million Minnesota Food Fraud

A federal judge in Minneapolis sentenced Salim Said to 30 years in prison on Wednesday for his role in a $44 million fraud scheme involving a federal food program. The sentence marks the latest legal outcome in a case that prosecutors described as a sprawling effort to collect millions of dollars by claiming to feed needy children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Said operated Safari Restaurant in Minneapolis, which served Somali cuisine. According to government filings, he vastly overstated the number of meals provided when seeking payment. The prosecution attributed $44 million in fraud to him, noting that some of the losses resulted from individuals he recruited. Court documents show Said claimed a daily distribution of 6,000 meals, yet FBI cameras recorded only about 40 people collecting food per day. Prosecutors stated that the sites did not serve thousands of children but rather a calculated and lucrative lie.

The scheme exploited changes to the federal program made during the pandemic. Typically, the program fed children through schools, but regulations were expanded to allow restaurants to participate and distribute food outside of school buildings. Prosecutors said Said took advantage of these changes for 21 consecutive months. They noted that while submissions represented meals for underprivileged children, the specific children listed were entirely fictitious.

The government indicated that the fraud generated substantial personal wealth for Said. He purchased a $1.2 million home, commercial real estate, and an $87,000 pickup truck. Said, a native of Somalia, testified at his 2025 trial and denied the allegations. He described his restaurant as a central gathering place for Somali immigrants in an area known as Little Mogadishu and claimed many meals were delivered. He told the jury, If you're making good food, people will come to you.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel imposed the sentence. Said's attorney, Samuel Savage, filed a sentencing memo before the hearing, but it was not made public. Savage did not immediately respond to requests for comment after the sentencing. Said was convicted in 2025 on multiple charges alongside Aimee Bock, the leader of the Minnesota nonprofit Feeding Our Future. Bock is currently serving a 42-year sentence for devising the plan that recruited Said and others into the program.

Dozens of people have been convicted in the related Minnesota fraud cases. The scandal has drawn national attention, with President Donald Trump repeatedly criticizing Minnesota's Democratic leadership. He cited the fraud as a reason for an immigration crackdown in the state's largest cities. State auditors found that the Minnesota Department of Education received numerous complaints about Feeding Our Future but often told the group to self-regulate. In January, Governor Tim Walz announced he would not seek reelection after sustained criticism over the theft in federally funded programs.