Said Sentenced to 30 Years for $44 Million Pandemic Food Fraud
The Safari Restaurant owner admitted guilt at sentencing after a trial where he claimed off-site deliveries, contradicting FBI video evidence.
By Vikram Harrison ·
Salim Said received a 30-year prison sentence on Wednesday for his role in a federal food fraud scheme that cost the government $44 million. The sentence marks the latest resolution in a widespread case involving Minnesota’s pandemic-era meal distribution program.
Said owned Safari Restaurant in Minneapolis, a business known for Somali cuisine. Prosecutors alleged he vastly inflated meal counts to collect federal funds. Court filings stated that Said claimed to distribute 6,000 meals daily. FBI cameras installed at his sites recorded only 40 people collecting food each day.
The fraud relied on a shift in federal policy during the pandemic. The program originally fed children through schools. Rules changed to allow restaurants and other sites to participate. Said submitted fraudulent reimbursement claims for 21 consecutive months. Prosecutors noted that the children listed on these claims were fictitious.
Aimee Bock, leader of the nonprofit Feeding Our Future, devised the plan to recruit Said and others. She is serving a 42-year sentence for the overall scheme. State auditors reported that the Minnesota Department of Education received complaints about the nonprofit but often told the group to police itself.
At his 2025 trial, Said denied the allegations. He testified that many meals were delivered off site. At Wednesday’s sentencing, he expressed remorse. His defense attorney, Barry Zone, argued for a 12-year sentence. Zone disputed the government’s claim that Said was the architect of the fraud.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel stated that Said took taxpayer dollars to enrich himself. The government reported that Said used the proceeds to buy a $1.2 million home, commercial real estate, and an $87,000 pickup truck. The case drew national attention after President Donald Trump cited it to criticize state officials.
Governor Tim Walz announced in January that he would not seek reelection. The decision followed months of public criticism regarding the theft in federal cash programs.
