Safari Restaurant Owner Gets 30 Years for $44 Million Food Fraud Scheme

A federal judge handed down a 30-year prison sentence to Salim Said on Wednesday for his role in a massive fraud of a federal food program. The sentence marks the latest conclusion in a sprawling scheme that collected millions of dollars during the pandemic by falsely claiming to feed children in need.

Said operated Safari Restaurant in Minneapolis, which focused on Somali cuisine. He was accused of greatly overstating the number of meals served when seeking reimbursement. The government attributed $44 million in fraud to him, a figure that included amounts committed by others he recruited into the plan.

Prosecutors highlighted a stark discrepancy in the evidence. Court filings stated that Said claimed a "ridiculous daily distribution of 6,000 meals." However, FBI cameras revealed that only 40 people collected food each day. The government argued that the sites did not serve thousands of children but instead served a calculated and lucrative lie.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel addressed the defendant directly during the proceedings. "You took more than taxpayers’ dollars to enrich yourself. You took the reputation of our state down with you," she said. The government noted that Said purchased a $1.2 million home, commercial real estate, and an $87,000 pickup truck with the proceeds.

Said, a native of Somalia, had denied the allegations during his 2025 trial. He testified that many meals were delivered off-site. At the Wednesday sentencing, he expressed remorse. His defense attorney, Barry Zone, had requested a 12-year sentence and disputed the government's claim that Said was the architect of the scheme.

The fraud occurred during a period when federal rules changed. Restaurants could join the program that typically fed children through schools, and distribution extended to locations outside educational institutions. Prosecutors stated that for 21 consecutive months, Said submitted thousands of fraudulent reimbursement claims. Each submission listed children who were entirely fictitious.

Said was convicted in 2025 alongside Aimee Bock, the leader of the Minnesota nonprofit Feeding Our Future. Bock is serving a 42-year sentence for devising the overall plan to recruit participants. State auditors found that the Minnesota Department of Education received numerous complaints about the group but often told it to police itself. Gov. Tim Walz announced in January that he would not run for reelection after criticism from President Donald Trump regarding theft in federally funded programs.