Minneapolis Restaurant Owner Sentenced to 30 Years
Salim Said, who claimed to serve 6,000 daily meals, was convicted of a $44 million fraud scheme.
By David Marshall ·
Salim Said received a 30-year prison sentence on Wednesday for his role in a massive federal food fraud scheme.
The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel in Minneapolis. Said operated Safari Restaurant, a Somali cuisine establishment, and was accused of inflating meal counts to collect millions of dollars during the pandemic. The government stated he was responsible for $44 million in fraudulent claims, including amounts committed by individuals he recruited.
Prosecutors alleged that Said claimed a daily distribution of 6,000 meals. FBI footage, however, showed only about 40 people collecting food per day. Court filings described the operation as a calculated lie that did not serve thousands of children as claimed.
Said testified at his 2025 trial that his restaurant was a popular spot for Somali immigrants in the area known as Little Mogadishu. He argued that many meals were delivered and that good food naturally attracts customers. He denied the allegations while on the stand.
The fraud took advantage of pandemic changes to a federal program that typically fed children through schools. Restaurants were allowed to participate, and distribution expanded beyond school grounds. Prosecutors said Said submitted thousands of fraudulent reimbursement claims for 21 consecutive months. The children listed on the forms were entirely fictitious.
The government noted that Said used the proceeds to buy a $1.2 million home, commercial real estate, and an $87,000 pickup truck. He was convicted in 2025 alongside Aimee Bock, a nonprofit leader. Bock is serving a 42-year sentence for devising the overall plan to recruit participants for the program.
State auditors found that the Minnesota Department of Education received many complaints about the nonprofit involved but often told the group to police itself. Gov. Tim Walz announced in January that he would not seek reelection, a decision made after President Donald Trump repeatedly criticized the state's handling of the fraud and cited it as a reason for an immigration crackdown.
