A Minnesota jury has found the leader of the nation’s largest COVID-19 fraud scheme guilty. This massive scam took away hundreds of millions of dollars that were supposed to be used to feed hungry children during the pandemic. Instead, the money ended up in the pockets of those running the fraud.
The fraud happened under a government program that was meant to provide free meals to children in need. A nonprofit group, originally created to help feed kids, ended up becoming a front for stealing money. The leader of the group, along with several others, lied about the number of meals they were serving. In reality, many of these meals never existed.
The fraud was carefully planned. The group worked with restaurants and food vendors who falsely claimed they were feeding thousands of children every day. They submitted fake paperwork, exaggerated meal numbers, and kept the extra money for themselves. Authorities say they used the stolen money to buy expensive cars, luxury homes, and other personal items instead of feeding kids.
How Authorities Uncovered the Scam
The fraud lasted for several years before investigators finally exposed it. The Minnesota Department of Education had concerns about the nonprofit and tried to stop payments. However, in 2022, the department was found in contempt of court for attempting to cut off funds too soon, before the case was fully investigated.
Authorities, including the FBI, started looking deeper into the nonprofit’s operations. They placed cameras at some of the food sites to see if the meals were actually being served. The videos revealed the truth—there were far fewer meals than reported. Some sites claimed they were feeding thousands of kids, but in reality, they were either completely empty or serving only a small number of meals.
Investigators found that before the pandemic, the nonprofit and its partners had received only a few million dollars in federal aid. But by 2021, that number had skyrocketed to nearly $200 million, including money they kept for so-called administrative expenses. This raised red flags, leading investigators to dig even deeper.
In the end, the government charged 70 people in connection to the scheme. Some of them admitted to their crimes and pleaded guilty, while others went to trial. The leader of the nonprofit was found guilty on multiple charges, including wire fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering. Another key figure in the fraud, who owned a restaurant, was also convicted on more than 20 charges.
The Aftermath of the Verdict
The guilty verdict has sparked strong reactions across Minnesota. Many people were shocked that such a large scam happened under a program meant to help children. The state’s governor faced criticism for not catching the fraud sooner, but he thanked investigators for bringing those responsible to justice.
Officials were particularly upset because the stolen money was meant to feed children who were struggling during the pandemic. The governor called the fraud “organized” and said the criminals “preyed on a system meant to help kids.” He was furious that money meant to provide food for the needy was stolen by people who took advantage of a crisis.
The convicted individuals will remain in custody until their sentencing hearings. Prosecutors argued they should stay in jail because of the serious nature of their crimes, even though their defense lawyers claimed they were not a threat to the public.
The case has been one of the biggest fraud scandals related to pandemic relief funds. While many of the accused have been convicted, the investigation is still ongoing. Authorities are making sure that justice is served for those who stole from a program designed to help children during a difficult time.
