US man gets 30-year sentence for Minnesota fraud that drew Trump backlash

Salim Said, 37, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in defrauding a federal child nutrition programme in Minnesota during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prosecutors attributed $44 million in fraud to him, including inflated meal claims at his Safari restaurant in Minneapolis; FBI footage showed about 40 people collecting food daily, while Said reported serving 6,000 meals. Born in Somalia, Said denied the allegations at his 2025 trial but expressed remorse at sentencing, while his lawyer disputed that he was the scheme’s architect. The case has produced dozens of convictions and was repeatedly cited by Donald Trump to criticise Minnesota’s Democratic governor and call for tougher immigration measures.