Minneapolis Restaurant Owner Gets 30 Years for $44M Child Nutrition Fraud

Salim Said, a 37-year-old Minneapolis restaurant owner, received a 30-year prison sentence on Wednesday for his role in a massive fraud scheme that defrauded a federal child nutrition program. The verdict concludes a case that has intensified political pressure on Minnesota officials, particularly from President Donald Trump.

Federal prosecutors alleged that Said overstated meal counts by a wide margin while seeking reimbursement for food provided to needy children during the pandemic. The government calculated the total fraud at $44 million. While FBI surveillance footage showed approximately 40 individuals collecting food daily at his sites, prosecutors stated that Said claimed a daily distribution of 6,000 meals. The defense disputed this characterization, with attorney Barry Zone arguing against the 30-year term and asking for a 12-year sentence. Zone also challenged the government’s claim that Said was the primary architect of the scheme.

Said, who was born in Somalia, owned Safari Restaurant. During his 2025 trial, he denied the charges, explaining that many meals were delivered to locations off-site. He changed his stance at the sentencing hearing, expressing remorse to the court. US District Judge Nancy Brasel noted the financial impact on the public during her remarks. “You took more than taxpayers’ dollars to enrich yourself. You took the reputation of our state down with you,” Brasel said.

The fraud relied on changes to a federal program that typically distributed food through schools. During the pandemic, restaurants were permitted to participate, and distribution expanded beyond school buildings. Prosecutors said Said made thousands of fraudulent reimbursement claims for 21 consecutive months. Each submission listed children who, according to the government, were entirely fictitious. Said used the stolen funds to purchase a $1.2 million home, commercial real estate, and an $87,000 pickup truck.

Said was convicted alongside Aimee Bock, the leader of the Minnesota nonprofit Feeding Our Future. Bock is serving a 42-year prison sentence for devising the scheme and was ordered to repay $242 million. State auditors found that the Minnesota education department received numerous complaints about the nonprofit but often told the group to police itself. Governor Tim Walz announced in January that he would not run for re-election, following sustained criticism from the White House regarding theft in federally funded programs.

The scheme resulted in dozens of convictions across the state. Trump has repeatedly cited the case to criticize Democratic leadership in Minnesota and to support immigration crackdowns in the state’s largest cities. The sentencing marks the latest legal conclusion in a case that has remained a focal point of national political debate since the pandemic began.