Feeding Our Future 'architect' faces sentencing

The time now just about 7.04 on this Wednesday and happening today one of the leaders of the feeding our future fraud scheme will learn his sentence. And he could be facing decades behind bars. Bill Keller live for us outside the federal courthouse in Minneapolis with the very latest on this case. Good morning. Good morning. Well so far 70 people have been convicted of taking part in this massive fraud case. Many of the smaller players are serving less than five years in prison but for those who made it all possible prosecutors are seeking a much harsher sentence. sentence. Federal prosecutors call Salim Saeed the architect of the country's largest COVID-19 fraud scheme. Both Saeed and Feeding Our Future executive director Amy Bach were convicted last year of orchestrating the $250 million fraud scheme. Prosecutors say that Saeed owned Safari restaurant where he claimed to serve 6,000 meals a day to hungry kids during the pandemic. But FBI surveillance cameras, well, they only documented an average of about 40 people a day. At trial, Saeed was convicted on all 21 counts, including wire fraud, conspiracy, bribery, and money laundering. The 37-year-old accused of stealing more than $44 million. He spent it on homes, property, and a fleet of high-end vehicles. And for his role, prosecutors are asking a judge to sentence Saeed to 40 years in federal prison. Amy Bach was sentenced back in May. She was ordered to serve 41 years behind bars. And because she signed off on every fraudulent claim, Bach was ordered to repay nearly $243 million, the entire amount of the documented losses. She is now appealing both her conviction and her sentence. Salim Saeed is currently being held in the Sherbourne County Jail, where he has been since his conviction last year. Saeed's sentencing set for 10 o'clock this morning. Back to you guys. All right. We'll stay on top of it for sure. Bill Keller for us there live. Thank you.