It’s been relatively quiet in the Feeding Our Future case the past few weeks. That will change after the holidays, as trial dates are stacked up throughout 2025.
First up on Monday, February 3, is the long-awaited trial of Aimee Bock, Feeding Our Future’s founder and Defendant No. 1 in the case. She will be joined by three co-defendants. Two were co-owners of the now-closed Safari Restaurant in Minneapolis.
The fourth co-defendant for the February trial is Abdi Salah, Defendant No. 6 in the case and a former senior aide to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. Abdi apparently has ties to Minneapolis city council member Jamal Osman through Abdi’s acquisition of Osman’s nonprofit Stigma-Free International. Osman has not been accused of any wrongdoing in the free-food scandal.
The next trial is scheduled to begin Monday, April 14, and features another batch of five defendants. Four of the five have ties to the revamped Stigma-Free International.
The third trial is scheduled to begin Monday June 9, and features three defendants. Ahmed Artan (Defendant No. 8, overall) served as president of the revamped Stigma-Free International.
Meanwhile, other defendants wait.
Qamar Hassan is the lead defendant of the S&S Catering group within the sprawling case. She is Defendant No. 23 and Guilty Plea No. 11 overall. She awaits sentencing in the case.
Over the objections of prosecutors, a judge has approved her request to travel to Kenya for 30 days to attend to an ailing aunt.
Abdiaziz Farah was not so lucky. Farah is the lead defendant of the Empire Cuisine group and was convicted at trial earlier this year. He is in Federal custody as he awaits sentencing in the fraud case. In addition, Farah is the lead defendant in the related juror bribery case, where he awaits trial.
Farah’s request for a one-month furlough to help care for a newborn was denied.
As I’ve previously mentioned, Najmo Ahmed (Defendant No. 62 and co-owner of Evergreen Grocery in Minneapolis) has returned from Somalia and is no longer considered a fugitive. Her husband remains at large.
Her preparations for a future trial, not yet scheduled, have begun.