A split image shows the defendant in the Feeding Our Future fraud case (left) and a separate photo introduced as evidence during the trial depicting luxury spending tied to people in her network (right). Federal prosecutors said the nonprofit was used to carry out a massive child-nutrition fraud scheme. (Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office; Department of Justice)
"I have to believe that the governor's office and Keith Ellison's office were aware of this. They've said they were involved in helping the FBI. They've said they were made aware, but apparently I'm scary, so they couldn't do anything," Bock added.
In response, a spokesperson for Ellison's office said Bock lacked credibility, pointing out her federal prison sentence. "She is a liar, fraudster, and manipulator of the highest order who has never acknowledged or accepted her guilt. Now, she’s on a media tour to deflect her guilt onto others instead of finally taking responsibility for the fraud scheme she ran," the spokesperson said.
"Federal and state investigators meticulously examined the crimes Bock and her accomplices committed," the Ellison spokesperson continued. Bock alone is responsible for her own actions, which was proven in court beyond a shadow of a doubt, and her claim about Attorney General Ellison is a lie without a shred of evidence behind it."
Federal prosecutors have said the scheme involved more than $250 million in stolen taxpayer funds intended to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic, with sham restaurants set up to falsely claim reimbursements.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison speaks on stage during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on Aug. 21, 2024, in Chicago, Illinois. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Walz’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The House Oversight Committee said on Jan. 7 that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged 98 defendants in Minnesota fraud-related cases, 85 of whom are of Somali descent.
Sixty-four defendants have already been convicted. Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said the DOJ has issued more than 1,750 subpoenas, executed over 130 search warrants, and conducted more than 1,000 witness interviews in what officials describe as a sweeping federal probe.
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Comer said federal prosecutors estimate at least $9 billion has been stolen across multiple fraud schemes in Minnesota.
"The breadth and depth of this fraud is breathtaking. And I fear it is just the tip of the iceberg. Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Minnesota’s Democratic leadership have either been asleep at the wheel or complicit in these crimes," he said. "They failed Minnesotans and all Americans, handing millions of taxpayers’ money to fraudsters."
Ashley Carnahan is a writer at Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/convicted-minnesota-fraudster-alleges-walz-ellison-were-aware-widespread-fraud