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Minnesota huge center woman Childcare fraud scandal She spoke out, defending her actions while admitting she regretted how things turned out.
“I wish I could go back and do things differently, stop things, catch things,” Amy Burke45 years old, told cbs newIt was her first public speech in years. “I believe we are doing everything we can to protect the program.”
Bock is the founder and director of Feeding Our Future, a nonprofit that partners with restaurants to use taxpayer funds to provide meals for children. In 2022, prosecutors accused her of orchestrating a sweep. $250 million fraud scheme They stole money to feed starving children and used it to fund a lavish lifestyle.
Nearly 80 people related to the nonprofit have since been charged, and more than 60 of them have been convicted or pleaded guilty. All of the defendants are Somali-American — except Bock, who is white.
The scandal has heightened public scrutiny of Minnesota’s welfare programs and prompted new fraud allegations against Somali-run day care centers. Late last year, federal officials launched an investigation after a viral video claimed millions of taxpayer dollars in child care funds were misused.
The developments have intensified federal attacks on Minnesota’s Somali community, with President Donald Trump calling them “trash” and telling them to “go back to where they came from.” At the same time, the government has stepped up efforts to ICE operations sparking multiple agent shootings across the state, including a fatal shooting on Jan. 7 Renee Goode — prompting state officials to file lawsuits against federal agents for what they called an “unconstitutional intrusion.”
Bock was charged with multiple federal crimes, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit federal program bribery. Prosecutors say she and other restaurant site operators stole taxpayer money, which they spent on vacations, real estate and luxury cars.
She was convicted by a jury and is awaiting sentencing.
“The jury saw overwhelming evidence of what Bock knew,” Chief Prosecutor Joe Thompson said after the verdict was handed down. “She was the leader of the scheme from day one. She signed every fraud claim submitted to the State of Minnesota.”
Bock has pleaded not guilty and denies the suggestion that she was the mastermind.
“It was heartbreaking,” Bock told CBS, describing the moment the verdict was read. “I believe in responsibility. If I did this, I would plead guilty. I would not go to trial. I would not let my children and my family go through what we went through. I have lost everything.”
Bock minimized the items seized from her home during a 2022 raid.
“They found minimal jewelry,” she told CBS News. “I believe it was like two pairs of earrings, a bracelet, a watch. There was some cash in it.”
She also said she did her best to root out fraud while leading the nonprofit, which submitted $200 million in meal claims in 2021, compared with just $3.4 million in 2019.
“I was the only one who stopped the claim and said it was fraud,” Bock said. “We have failed to pay or denied tens of millions of dollars in claims.”
The nonprofit’s operations have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents were allowed to pick up meals after the outbreak, leading many members of the state’s Somali community to sign up. However, the state is skeptical of some applications.
After the killing of George Floyd, Bock filed a lawsuit accusing the state of discriminating against Somali applicants. Asked about officials’ reaction to the lawsuit, Bock said: “No one wants to be labeled a racist.”
State authorities eventually reached a settlement that promised to process meal program applications more quickly. Later, state officials said they were intimidated by “the threat of legal consequences and negative media attention.”
Bock said she’s not operating in a vacuum. She said her claim was approved by state officials, noting that some lawmakers, including Rep. Ilhan Omar, will visit the dining establishments.
However, multiple state officials have denied any knowledge of the fraud and have supported appropriate action by the state.
Omar denies knowledge of massive fraud, saying “Deeply concerned” regarding the 2022 abuse allegations.
governor of minnesota Tim WaltzTrump, who has been criticized for deceptive regulations, has defended the administration’s approach and announced earlier this month that he would not seek re-election in 2026. “Minnesotans are working hard to fix this problem,” he wrote in a statement. However, he accused Trump of “demonizing our Somali neighbor,” adding, “It’s disgusting. And it’s dangerous.”
Amid fraud accusations, Trump says he will frozen billions Federal funds flow to states. Walz accused the president of “wrongfully seizing funding for child care that Minnesotans depend on.”