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Former Safari Restaurant owner Salim Said sentenced to 30 years for role in Feeding Our Future fraud
Salim Said, the former owner of Safari Restaurant, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for his role in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, which prosecutors have described as the largest fraud case in Minnesota's history.
Said, a convicted participant in the scheme, was sentenced Wednesday after being found guilty of involvement in a massive operation that misused federal funds intended to provide meals to children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The sentence marks another significant development in a case that has drawn national attention to alleged abuses of public assistance programs.
How the Feeding Our Future Scheme Worked
The Feeding Our Future case centered on federal child nutrition funding intended to reimburse organizations for meals served to children in need.
According to prosecutors, participants in the scheme exploited the program by submitting fraudulent claims for meals that were never actually provided or by substantially inflating the number of meals reportedly served. The resulting payments allegedly generated millions of dollars in improper proceeds.
The funding was especially significant during the COVID-19 pandemic, when federal programs were expanded to help ensure children continued receiving meals despite disruptions to schools and other community services.
Investigators said the scheme involved a network of individuals and businesses that used meal sites and food-service operations to obtain money through false claims.
Said’s Role and Federal Sentence
Said, who formerly owned Safari Restaurant, was convicted in connection with the fraud scheme. His 30-year federal prison sentence reflects the seriousness with which the court treated his participation.
The case has involved numerous defendants and multiple prosecutions, with authorities pursuing individuals accused of using organizations participating in the child nutrition program to obtain federal money improperly.
The sentence also underscores the potential consequences of fraud involving public funds, particularly money intended to support vulnerable children and families.
A Major Case in Minnesota’s Fraud Investigations
The Feeding Our Future investigation has become one of the most prominent federal fraud cases in Minnesota. It has raised questions about oversight of emergency assistance programs, the verification of meal claims and the safeguards needed to prevent public money from being diverted.
Federal authorities have continued to pursue cases connected to the broader investigation, seeking accountability for those convicted of participating in the scheme.
For families and communities that rely on child nutrition programs, the case highlights the importance of ensuring that funds designated for meals reach the children they are intended to serve.
Said’s 30-year sentence represents a major development in the government's effort to hold participants in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme accountable.
Source: KSTP
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