Surveillance footage from a state fraud case prosecuted in 2018 shows that purported daycare centers linked to Somali immigrants in Minnesota were involved in fraud schemes as early as 2015.
Video recorded outside one such facility in the Minneapolis area shows parents entering to drop off their children, only to leave with them minutes later, Fox 9 <a href="https://www.fox9.com/news/charges-video-catches-minneapolis-daycare-financial-fraud">reported</a> in 2015. The 10-year-old news report was shared on social media this week as Minnesota faces more fraud accusations.
Fox 9 reported that in 2015, four purported daycare centers in Minneapolis were accused of billing the government even though children were not present at the facilities. Another video from inside another facility shows a man handing an envelope to what appears to be a parent of Somali descent.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
This is from a 2018 Minnesota criminal prosecution against Somali daycare fraudsters.
In surveillance video, Somali parents would take their kids to the daycare, check them in, and then leave with them moments later.
The owners of the daycare would then bill the state for a… <a href="https://t.co/oXgbl2qtYj">pic.twitter.com/oXgbl2qtYj</a>
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) <a href="https://twitter.com/greg_price11/status/2005673905113976872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Hennepin County, which includes much of Minneapolis, opened an investigation after the state government identified unusually large billing amounts. Officials placed a camera on a telephone pole outside one of the centers to track how many kids were entering the facility and found that the center had lied about its enrollment numbers.
&#8220;It&#8217;s hard to imagine they were serving that many people. Frankly, if you&#8217;re going to cheat, cheat little, because if you cheat big you&#8217;re going to get caught,&#8221; Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said at the time.
Four people were taken into custody in 2015 after police searched the alleged fraudulent daycare centers. Two of those arrested, Abdirizak Ahmed Gayre and Ibrahim Awgab Osman, took plea deals and admitted to felony theft, the Daily Mail <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15421255/Minnesota-daycare-fraud-scandal-deepens.html">reported</a>. As part of the plea deal, the state agreed not to pursue further charges against other defendants.
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The 10-year-old video came to light shortly after independent journalist Nick Shirley revealed that numerous daycare and learning centers in the Minneapolis area appeared empty despite claiming they were open and accepting millions of dollars in state funds. Shirley released his video after a federal prosecutor said earlier this month that 14 Minnesota social programs have lost at least $9 billion from fraud since 2018.
After Shirley&#8217;s video and the media attention on alleged Minnesota fraud, the Department of Homeland Security <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/feds-conduct-door-to-door-checks-at-suspected-minneapolis-fraud-sites?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Feds+Conduct+Door-To-Door+Checks+At+Suspected+Minneapolis+Fraud+Sites">sent</a> federal agents door-to-door in Minneapolis to conduct checks at suspected fraud sites.
Republican Congressman Tom Emmer of Minnesota <a href="https://x.com/GOPMajorityWhip/status/2006011127780557192">praised</a> President Donald Trump for looking into the fraud accusations and seeking to hold Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz &#8220;accountable.&#8221;
&#8220;We have been working for years to highlight this and have been met with lies and inaction from Democrats,&#8221; Emmer added.

Illustrated by The Daily Wire

Minneapolis Daycare Fraud Has Been Going On At Least A Decade, And There’s Video To Prove It

Crime

Fraud

Minneapolis

Minnesota

Politics

Attorney General Pam Bondi said that the fraud uncovered thus far in Minnesota — largely linked to the Somali community — was just the tip of what appears to be a very large iceberg, and she promised many more arrests and prosecutions in the coming weeks.
In a post shared to X on Monday afternoon, Bondi praised the work done by independent journalist <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shocking-video-exposes-more-apparent-somali-linked-fraud-in-walzs-minnesota">Nick Shirley</a>, who shared a lengthy video exposing the depth of the fraud in the childcare and health care industries — and she said that the Justice Department had already begun investigating the fraud months earlier.
&#8220;MINNESOTA FRAUD: [Nick Shirley]’s work has helped show Americans the scale of fraud in Tim Walz’s Minnesota,&#8221; Bondi posted. &#8220;@TheJusticeDept has been investigating this for months. So far, we have charged 98 individuals – 85 of Somali descent – and more than 60 have been found guilty in court. We have more prosecutions coming … BUCKLE UP, LAWMAKERS!&#8221;
FBI Director Kash Patel also responded to the story:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
CASE UPDATE: MINNESOTA FRAUD SCHEME
The FBI is aware of recent social media reports in Minnesota. However, even before the public conversation escalated online, the FBI had surged personnel and investigative resources to Minnesota to dismantle large-scale fraud schemes…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2005305530651189719?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Shirley shared <a href="https://x.com/nickshirleyy/status/2004642794862961123">video</a> of himself going from location to location, confronting people and, in some cases, having doors slammed in his face. At one location, which advertised itself as a &#8220;Quality Learing Center,&#8221; a white woman stood outside the building warning anyone who might be inside not to open up — and claiming that Shirley was with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
&#8220;Here is the full 42 minutes of my crew and I exposing Minnesota fraud, this might be my most important work yet,” Shirley captioned the video post. “We uncovered over $110,000,000 in ONE day &#8230; It’s time to hold these corrupt politicians and fraudsters accountable. We ALL work way too hard and pay too much in taxes for this to be happening, the fraud must be stopped.”
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Department of Children, Youth and Families Commissioner <a href="https://www.fox9.com/news/minnesota-daycares-youtuber-payments-dec-2025">Tikki Brown</a> responded to the video on Monday, saying that all of the locations Shirley visited had been the subjects of random inspections within the last six months, and that children had been present when those visits were conducted.
Brown also questioned whether or not Shirley had gone to the daycare centers during normal operating hours, asking, &#8220;When were the videos taken? Were they during times that the center was scheduled to be open? Were they during the weekend?&#8221;
She also said that, in light of the video, the state planned to conduct follow-up checks.

Justice Department Announces Federal Enforcement Action Against International Criminal Organization

‘BUCKLE UP, LAWMAKERS!’: Pam Bondi Says Somali Fraud Prosecutions Are Just Beginning

'BUCKLE UP, LAWMAKERS!': Pam Bondi Says Somali Fraud Prosecutions Are Just Beginning

Pam Bondi

Somalis

U.S.

Homeland Security Investigations agents were on the ground in Minneapolis on Monday, conducting door-to-door checks at suspected fraud sites, as authorities examined the alleged involvement of Somali immigrants in a broader criminal scheme.
The Department of Homeland Security posted a video showing two agents entering a convenience store, where they ask the clerk about a suspicious business next door. Last week, independent journalist Nick Shirley posted a 42-minute video <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/independent-journalist-who-uncovered-minnesota-fraud-says-a-kindergartner-could-figure-it-out">alleging</a> that numerous daycare and learning centers in the Twin Cities area had no children on-site, despite receiving millions of dollars in government funding.
&#8220;The American people deserve answers on how their taxpayer money is being used and ARRESTS when abuse is found. Under the leadership of [Secretary Kristi Noem], DHS is working to deliver results,&#8221; Homeland Security posted on social media.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
DHS is on the ground in Minneapolis, going DOOR TO DOOR at suspected fraud sites.
The American people deserve answers on how their taxpayer money is being used and ARRESTS when abuse is found. Under the leadership of <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sec_Noem</a>, DHS is working to deliver results. <a href="https://t.co/7XtRflv36b">pic.twitter.com/7XtRflv36b</a>
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/2005688262695018606?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin posted two more videos of federal agents on the ground in Minneapolis, adding that they are &#8220;conducting a large scale investigation on fraudulent daycare and healthcare centers, as well as other rampant fraud.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Right now in Minneapolis, Homeland Security Investigations <a href="https://twitter.com/ICEgov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ICEGov</a> are on the ground conducting a large scale investigation on fraudulent daycare and healthcare centers, as well as other rampant fraud.
More to come. <a href="https://t.co/GOXvZYSl5J">pic.twitter.com/GOXvZYSl5J</a>
— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) <a href="https://twitter.com/TriciaOhio/status/2005714076702314966?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
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FBI Director Kash Patel <a href="https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2005305530651189719">said</a> on Sunday that the bureau had already “surged personnel and investigative resources to Minnesota to dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs” before the issue gained traction on social media last week.
Patel pointed to the FBI’s role in uncovering the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, which received government funding to provide meals to hungry children during the COVID pandemic but allegedly never distributed food. The Feeding Our Future investigation was closed before Patel became the FBI director. The vast majority of the people charged and convicted were of Somali descent.
&#8220;The FBI believes this is just the tip of a very large iceberg. We will continue to follow the money and protect children, and this investigation very much remains ongoing,&#8221; Patel added.
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The recent revelations from Shirley have refocused attention on Minnesota and its Democratic governor, Tim Walz, who has been the subject of frequent criticism from President Donald Trump this year. Trump has recently targeted Minneapolis and its large Somali community in his immigration enforcement operations. Walz, meanwhile, has defended the Somali community and his own actions amid the fraud accusations.
A federal prosecutor said earlier this month that 14 Minnesota social programs have lost at least $9 billion from fraud since 2018. When asked earlier this month if the state government needed to do more to hold the Somali community accountable, Walz <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1999548617556722012">shot back</a>, saying that a majority of the crime was being &#8220;committed by white men.&#8221; In reality, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-fraud-feeding-our-future-medicaid-9911799c0d0149a64a042abed095be57">82 of the 92</a> people charged so far in the Minnesota fraud scheme are Somali Americans, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Minnesota.

Homeland Security

Feds Conduct Door-To-Door Checks At Suspected Minneapolis Fraud Sites

Department of Homeland Security

Tim Walz

Trump Administration

Independent journalist Nick Shirley, whose recent viral video pulled back the curtain on tens of millions of dollars in alleged fraud in Minnesota, said the scheme was so obvious that &#8220;a kindergartner&#8221; could have put the pieces together.
During an <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6387013496112">appearance</a> on &#8220;The Big Weekend Show&#8221; on Fox News, Shirley described how he found suspicious daycare and learning centers in the Minneapolis area that appear to be fronts for massive scams. Shirley&#8217;s <a href="https://x.com/nickshirleyy/status/2004642794862961123">video</a>, which has been reposted over 200,000 times on X, shows him visiting multiple government-funded daycares that seemed to have no children present.
&#8220;It&#8217;s so obvious,&#8221; Shirley said of the apparent fraud. &#8220;If you&#8217;re living in Minnesota, you have to raise your eyebrows and think, &#8216;What&#8217;s going on?&#8217; Literally, if you drive around Minneapolis, you&#8217;ll see daycare centers, autism centers — you will then see transportation companies that have snow piled up as if they haven&#8217;t moved it in months,&#8221; Shirley said.
&#8220;A kindergartner could&#8217;ve figured out there was fraud going on,&#8221; he added.
In his 42-minute video report, Shirley talks to a Minnesota resident identified only as &#8220;David,&#8221; who has been investigating the alleged fraud for years. David told Shirley that he first became suspicious when he noticed multiple daycare centers near his office with no children. David said he also noticed that he often saw Somali drivers from non-emergency medical transportation companies driving vans without passengers. He added that he found there are 1,020 non-emergency medical transportation companies in the state, and more than 800 of them are Somali-owned.
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Shirley, 23, said the people who supposedly worked at some of the daycare centers &#8220;could not answer the most simple questions,&#8221; such as where the children were or why their windows were blacked out. In one instance, Shirley and David ask two Somali women outside of a daycare center where the children are, and one of the women replies, &#8220;It&#8217;s not your business.&#8221;
Shirley&#8217;s video uncovers numerous examples of suspicious activity in the Minneapolis area shortly after a federal prosecutor said that, during Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz&#8217;s tenure, there has been at least $9 billion in fraud in the state. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/billions-paid-out-by-medicaid-in-minnesota-may-be-fraudulent-us-attorney/">revealed</a> earlier this month that 14 Medicaid services in Minnesota are at &#8220;high risk&#8221; for fraud.
The massive fraud scandal has already resulted in dozens of convictions and has involved many people from Minneapolis&#8217;s large Somali community. One accused Somali fraudster was still being paid by the Minnesota government to run assisted living homes, even as he awaited his trial for his alleged role in helping run a fraudulent charity, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/minnesota-is-currently-paying-an-indicted-somali-fraudster-to-run-assisted-living-homes">reported</a> earlier this month.
Walz and other Minnesota Democratic leaders have defended their actions amid the scandal and voiced support for the Somali community. A spokesman for the Minnesota governor said Walz &#8220;has worked for years to crack down on fraud and ask the state legislature for more authority to take aggressive action. He has strengthened oversight — including launching investigations into these specific facilities, one of which was already closed.&#8221;
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shocking-video-exposes-more-apparent-somali-linked-fraud-in-walzs-minnesota">Shocking Video Exposes More Apparent Somali-Linked Fraud In Walz&#8217;s Minnesota</a>

Nick Shirley

Independent Journalist Who Uncovered Minnesota Fraud Says ‘A Kindergartner’ Could Figure It Out

President Donald Trump presses on for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, a fraudulent daycare scheme adds to the scandals in Minnesota, and major cities tighten security for New Year’s Eve celebrations.
It’s Monday, December 29, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below or on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251229">The Daily Wire</a>:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/zelensky-visits-mar-a-lago-minnesota-daycare-fraud-12-29-25/id1576594336?i=1000743034813" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Hosts Zelensky</h2>
As the war in Ukraine continues to rage, President Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-peace-deal-in-ukraine-is-closer-than-ever-save-a-few-thorny-issues">hosted</a> Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, hoping to finalize a peace deal to end the war. Hours before the meeting, Russia hammered Kyiv with one of the most extensive airstrikes in months, killing four, wounding dozens, and knocking out power to much of the city. Trump described his meeting with Zelensky as “good and very productive.” Trump also said that “land” is a major sticking point in the peace process. Zelensky has vowed never to give up land to Russia, but did offer a compromise: turning some Ukrainian land in the East into a demilitarized zone. As an apparent show of good faith toward Trump, Zelensky has also expressed a new willingness to hold nationwide elections, a move Trump has long called for.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Empty Somali-Run Daycares Bilk Taxpayers For Millions</h2>
New reports of rampant fraud across dozens of Minnesota daycares have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shocking-video-exposes-more-apparent-somali-linked-fraud-in-walzs-minnesota">stirred</a> controversy online and even attracted the attention of federal lawmakers and the FBI. Independent journalist Nick Shirley posted a roughly 40-minute investigative documentary online that racked up tens of millions of views within days. Shirley claims that he uncovered more than $100 million in fraud involving Somali-run businesses. For example, Shirley and his co-investigator identified a childcare center that has received millions in taxpayer funds, but no one has seen the children purportedly cared for there. The explosive report has increased pressure on Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz to be held accountable.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Admin’s Anti-Terror And Immigration Operations</h2>
While Americans took time to unwind over the holiday season, the Trump administration was active on several fronts. Alongside its aggressive foreign policy and national security moves abroad, it continued its immigration and counterterrorism operations at home. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has been ramping up her <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tulsi-gabbard-warns-that-islamist-ideology-is-freedoms-greatest-threat">warning</a> about the threat posed by terror actors, especially after the Bondi Beach massacre in Australia and the attacks on U.S. servicemembers in Syria. Major cities worldwide, including in the United States, have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/major-cities-scuttle-new-years-plans-amid-increased-islamist-terror-threats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">altered</a> or canceled New Year’s celebrations due to security concerns. In the meantime, the Trump administration’s deportation operations have continued.

MRN_251229_V1

Morning Brief: Zelensky Visits Mar-A-Lago, Minnesota Daycare Fraud & New Year’s Terrorism Risks

Donald Trump

Media

Morning Wire

Tulsi Gabbard

Vladimir Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky

A shocking video confronting apparent fraudsters seems to expose even more Somali-linked fraud in Democrat Gov. Tim Walz&#8217;s Minnesota.
Journalist <a href="https://x.com/nickshirleyy/status/2004642794862961123?s=42">Nick Shirley</a> on Friday posted 42 minutes of video footage from an investigation into the fraud, largely focused on government-funded childcare operations that seemingly care for no children.
&#8220;Here is the full 42 minutes of my crew and I exposing Minnesota fraud, this might be my most important work yet,&#8221; Shirley captioned the video post. &#8220;We uncovered over $110,000,000 in ONE day.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s time to hold these corrupt politicians and fraudsters accountable,&#8221; he added. &#8220;We ALL work way too hard and pay too much in taxes for this to be happening, the fraud must be stopped.&#8221;
In one jaw-dropping moment, Shirley and a resident named David, who&#8217;s been investigating the fraud for years, show up to a childcare center that seems completely empty. The building has no windows, and the word &#8220;learning&#8221; on the sign is misspelled. A man who&#8217;s lived in the area since 2017 told Shirley he&#8217;s never seen a single child at the center, and said that if Walz is to blame, the governor should be jailed and held accountable.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 HOLY CRAP! A Minnesota man who’s been living next to a Somali “daycare center” for eight years says he’s never seen a SINGLE CHILD there
“None! Not at all… and I’ve been here since 2017!”
“They’re stealing the money!”
He even called on Tim Walz to be JAILED over this. I… <a href="https://t.co/Zo1ZHlOaU3">pic.twitter.com/Zo1ZHlOaU3</a>
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/2004669888518844689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
In the video, David tells Shirley that, per public records, some of these childcare centers have received millions of dollars from the state and federal government through a program called the Child Care Assistance Program, or CCAP. The program is run by the state, but there is federal funding included.
Another supposed daycare center the team visited on a weekday was closed up. David said he&#8217;s never seen &#8220;a single child&#8221; at the location in nine years. The center has received millions of taxpayer dollars.
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&#8220;I&#8217;m not sure, I don&#8217;t know,&#8221; one woman wearing a hijab tells the team when she&#8217;s asked if she&#8217;s ever seen children at the childcare center.
In another alarming moment, clipped by journalist Nick Sortor, two women in hijabs and face-coverings are confronted about why there is only one child at another taxpayer-funded supposed center. They yell at David and Shirley, but provide no answers. Notably, Shirley is also told he can&#8217;t enroll his son at the daycare and can&#8217;t view the area.
One of the women even tells Shirley that she&#8217;s afraid of him because of his &#8220;color.&#8221; Shirley is white.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 BREAKING: Elon Musk just called for the PROSECUTION of Tim Walz for the rampant taxpayer funded FRAUD in the Somali community
Walz has worked to COVER UP this fraud at the expense of the American people in order to buy votes
LOCK HIM UP! <a href="https://t.co/CZWDZ3UUx8">pic.twitter.com/CZWDZ3UUx8</a>
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/2004757253145190894?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
The unfathomable amount of fraud, some of which is seemingly exposed in the video, sparked billionaire Elon Musk to call for the prosecution of Walz.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Prosecute <a href="https://twitter.com/GovTimWalz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovTimWalz</a> <a href="https://t.co/oSQprdo292">https://t.co/oSQprdo292</a>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/2004755989107757521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
A jaw-dropping press conference held earlier this month confirmed that $9 billion – or potentially more – of taxpayer money could have been stolen during Walz’s tenure.
As outlined by federal prosecutor Joseph Thompson, 14 taxpayer-funded programs in particular were found to be rife with fraud since 2018. Those programs cost $18 billion, and Thompson said it’s possible that half of that, or more, could have been fraudulently claimed.
“I think we’re an outlier in a bad way,” Thompson <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NirLDCHIpr0">said</a> of Minnesota. “You don’t see fraud on this scale in other states. … Every day we look under a rock and find a new $50 million fraud scheme. That shouldn’t be the case in a state of our size. Certainly other states have problems with frauds, but I think our problem is unique.”
Thompson said Minnesota earned a reputation for being, essentially, easy to rip off, which sparked what’s called “fraud tourism” — or people moving to the state to commit fraud.
Fraudsters, he said, would create companies entirely dedicated to fraud, which is different from up-charging for services, which is typical in Medicaid fraud.
Walz, who’s unsurprisingly in the hot seat over the scandal, says Thompson is engaging in “sensationalism” and says there’s “<a href="https://www.startribune.com/walz-says-theres-no-evidence-of-9b-in-fraud-exposing-rift-between-state-and-feds/601549681">no evidence</a>” the scope is $9 billion or more.
View the full video, below:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
🚨 Here is the full 42 minutes of my crew and I exposing Minnesota fraud, this might be my most important work yet. We uncovered over $110,000,000 in ONE day. Like it and share it around like wildfire! Its time to hold these corrupt politicians and fraudsters accountable
We ALL… <a href="https://t.co/E3Penx2o7a">pic.twitter.com/E3Penx2o7a</a>
— Nick shirley (@nickshirleyy) <a href="https://twitter.com/nickshirleyy/status/2004642794862961123?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tim-walz-gets-more-bad-news-from-feds-after-massive-fraud-scandal-exposed">Tim Walz Gets More Bad News From Feds After Massive Fraud Scandal Exposed</a>

Screenshot 2025-12-27 at 12.17.14 PM

Shocking Video Exposes More Apparent Somali-Linked Fraud In Walz’s Minnesota

Somalia

The Democratic race for the U.S. Senate seat from Minnesota being vacated by Democrat Tina Smith has turned into a competitive contest between moderate Democratic Representative Angie Craig and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan.
While Craig represents a more centrist wing of the party, Flanagan’s candidacy is defined by a hard-leftist record that has drawn both high-profile endorsements from figures like Elizabeth Warren and intense national scrutiny regarding state-level scandals.
Flanagan has consistently aligned herself with radical progressive causes, often centering her leadership on identity-based advocacy. She has been a vocal supporter of Minnesota’s Somali community; the most recent example was a <a href="https://x.com/AmyMek/status/2004423151778721947">video</a> that went viral over Christmas showing her wearing her version of a hijab and pledging to “have the back” of the community against the federal government.
After a representative from the Somali community thanked her for “her support for the Somali community, [which] has been under attack from the federal government, specifically from President Trump and the ICE agents who are on the streets, attacking us because we are Somali, as the president instructed them to do,” Flanagan said, “I just want to encourage the community to know that we’re with you; we’ve got your back.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
What a betrayal of subjugated women in the Muslim world. Wearing the hijab like it&#39;s a costume &amp; not a tool of Islamist oppression. Gross. <a href="https://twitter.com/peggyflanagan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@peggyflanagan</a> <a href="https://t.co/fPtKxNTx53">https://t.co/fPtKxNTx53</a>
&mdash; Rita Panahi (@RitaPanahi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RitaPanahi/status/2004445558191317150?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The alignment of Flanagan and the Somali community has become a flashpoint as critics link her administration’s policies to a lack of oversight regarding the Somali-tied welfare fraud schemes that have allegedly cost taxpayers billions of dollars. Under the Walz-Flanagan administration, Minnesota has been rocked by allegations of the “greatest theft of taxpayer dollars” in U.S. history. Investigations have revealed a sprawling network of fraud involving:
<ul style="font-weight: 400;">
<li>Feeding Our Future: A $200 million fraud machine where executives fabricated meal counts to fund luxury lifestyles.</li>
<li>Medicaid Exploitation: Housing stabilization payments soared from $2.6 million to over $104 million, while autism programs jumped from $3 million to $399 million due to inflated diagnoses and kickbacks.</li>
<li>Terrorism Ties: Law enforcement sources and the Treasury Department are investigating claims that stolen funds were funneled through &#8220;hawalas&#8221; to the al-Qaeda-linked group Al-Shabaab.</li>
</ul>
“What we see are schemes stacked upon schemes, draining resources meant for those in need. It feels never-ending,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said. “I have spent my career as a fraud prosecutor and the depth of the fraud in Minnesota takes my breath away.”
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“Our investigation reveals, for the first time, that some of this money has been directed to an even more troubling destination: the al-Qaida-linked Islamic terror group Al-Shabaab,” City-Journal <a href="https://www.city-journal.org/article/minnesota-welfare-fraud-somalia-al-shabaab">reported</a>. “According to multiple law-enforcement sources, Minnesota’s Somali community has sent untold millions through a network of ‘hawalas,’ informal clan-based money-traders, that have wound up in the coffers of Al-Shabaab.”
“We believe that the Somali fraud operation in Minnesota is the single greatest theft of taxpayer dollars, through welfare fraud, in American history,” Trump advisor Stephen Miller said on Fox News. &#8220;We believe we have only scratched the very top of the surface of how deep this goes.&#8221;
Earlier this month, Flanagan erupted against President Trump, launching a broadside that sounded more like a social media influencer’s meltdown than the words of a sitting state executive.
After Trump scorched Minnesota’s Somali community over allegations of massive welfare fraud and ties to terrorism, Flanagan <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DR0z4DGidic/">posted</a> on Instagram to sneer: “You know, this vile, racist stream of consciousness from a President ‘Old Man Yells At Cloud,’ you’re disgusting.” She filmed herself cruising down Lake Street — the heart of the local Somali community — praising it as “beautiful,” “the fabric of our state,” and promising to “stand shoulder to shoulder” with immigrants “no matter what.”
Flanagan’s record on social issues is equally polarizing. She was a primary architect of Minnesota’s “Trans Refuge” laws, which grant the state emergency jurisdiction over children seeking gender-altering procedures, even without parental consent.
In 2023, Flanagan boasted about signing Minnesota’s “Trans Refuge Bill” and other radical measures as proof her state championed “love” and “freedom.” While celebrating the passage of the &#8220;Trans Refuge Bill,&#8221; Flanagan <a href="https://x.com/1Nicdar/status/1960801919946879431?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1960801919946879431%7Ctwgr%5E12feb75e6aaf661bb370cfee162a975be77867f4%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Fyou-gave-this-death-cult-sanctuary-minnesota-lt-gov-blasted-after-annunciation-school-attack">wore a “Protect Trans Kids” shirt</a> featuring a dagger graphic. Flanagan faced intense backlash over her radical policies after a trans-identifying gunman killed two children and wounded dozens more at a Catholic School earlier this year. Critics suggested her “sanctuary” policies and rhetoric fostered a culture of radicalization.
After Democrat Governor Tim Walz signed an executive order forcing state agencies to protect “gender-affirming” health care, including surgery, Flanagan admonished parents not to dissuade their children from such health care, eliciting mockery from conservatives. “Let’s be clear: this is life-affirming and life-saving health care,” she declared. “When our children tell us who they are, it is our job as grown-ups to listen and to believe them. That&#8217;s what it means to be a good parent.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
MN Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan on sex changes for minors: &quot;When our children tell us who they are, it is our job as grown-ups to listen and to believe them. That&#39;s what it means to be a good parent.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/WNXjGRgjsm">pic.twitter.com/WNXjGRgjsm</a>
&mdash; Alpha News (@AlphaNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlphaNews/status/1636146393130627079?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
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As she seeks a seat in the U.S. Senate, Flanagan carries a record defined by deep-seated leftist activism and a “sanctuary” philosophy that extends from immigration to gender medicine. For her supporters, she is a &#8220;beacon of hope&#8221;; for her detractors, she represents a dangerous lack of accountability that may have allowed both fiscal corruption and radical social experimentation to flourish in Minnesota.

Candlelight vigil held for victims of Minneapolis Catholic school shooting

Meet Minnesota’s Hijab-Wearing, Children’s Gender Surgery Advocate Who’s Running For U.S. Senate

Democrats

Peggy Flanagan

Santa&#8217;s naughty list this year includes several sanctuary cities and states that allowed illegal immigrant criminals to roam their streets, many of whom went on to commit more egregious crimes.
Sanctuary cities and states adopt policies that prevent local police from notifying federal immigration authorities about the looming release of illegal immigrants from local jails. They also bar federal authorities from entering jails to interview illegal immigrant suspects.
The Trump administration has sued several sanctuary jurisdictions, including Minnesota, New York City, Boston, Illinois, and Los Angeles, over the policies.
These are some of the worst offenders.
<h4>New York City</h4>
Since President Donald Trump&#8217;s inauguration, local police in New York City released roughly 7,000 illegal immigrants from local jails without honoring Immigration and Customs Enforcement&#8217;s detainer requests to have them placed into federal custody, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
They account for nine homicides, 2,509 assaults, 199 burglaries, 305 robberies, 392 dangerous drugs offenses, 300 weapons offenses, and 207 sexual predatory offenses.
Mario Bustamante-Leiva, 49, the Chilean illegal immigrant accused of snatching Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem&#8217;s purse in Washington, D.C., in April, was arrested in New York for a similar crime just a few weeks earlier — but they let him go with a desk appearance ticket and a court date, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/28/us-news/illegal-migrant-accused-in-kristi-noems-purse-snatching-had-ny-arrest-warrant-out/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the New York Post.
He never showed up to that scheduled court date and bounced over to the nation&#8217;s capital to allegedly purse snatch the cabinet official.
In a separate example of the sanctuary&#8217;s consequences, the two Dominican illegal immigrants accused in the shooting of an off-duty Customs and Border Protection officer in New York City in July both had rap sheets.
One of them, Christhian Aybar-Berroa, 22, was arrested by the NYPD eight times and released each time prior to the attack, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/07/21/us-news/illegal-migrant-arrested-in-nyc-shooting-of-off-duty-cpb-agent-was-free-despite-long-rap-sheet-and-suspected-in-scooter-robbery-spree-sources/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the New York Post. He also had a deportation order from January 2023.
Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, 21, also racked up several arrests in New York City, including for allegedly assaulting a pregnant woman and threatening to kill a fellow migrant with a machete, according to the New York Post.
He was also wanted on kidnapping and weapons charges out of Massachusetts, the outlet previously reported.
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<h4>Illinois</h4>
Authorities in Illinois have released more than 1,700 criminal illegal immigrants with ICE detainer requests from local jails since Inauguration Day, according to DHS.
The Trump administration commenced &#8220;Operation Midway Blitz&#8221; in September to target the sanctuary city of Chicago and arrest illegal immigrants released by local authorities.
ICE has current detainers lodged against roughly 4,000 illegal immigrants in state custody, according to DHS.
Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson responded to the federal operation by creating &#8220;ICE-free zones&#8221; across the Windy City.
In October, local police were reportedly told to stand down from assisting Border Patrol agents, who “were rammed by vehicles and boxed in by 10 cars” in Broadview, Illinois, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin <a href="https://x.com/TriciaOhio/status/1974524869892276682" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X at the time.
Agents determined that one of the alleged attackers was &#8220;armed with a semi-automatic weapon,&#8221; forcing them to “fire defensive shots at an unarmed U.S. citizen,” according to McLaughlin.
<h4>Minnesota</h4>
When ICE descended on Minneapolis earlier this month, leaders in the sanctuary state were quick to side with illegal immigrants roaming the state.
Democratic Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey responded to the increased presence of federal immigration authorities by pledging to continue to refuse cooperation with ICE.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says he will not allow police officers to cooperate with ICE to get criminal illegal aliens off the streets.
FREY: “Officers will not coordinate with any federal agency that is doing immigration law enforcement work.” <a href="https://t.co/zNLosBiKYw">pic.twitter.com/zNLosBiKYw</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1998063894112133546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who has likened ICE to “Trump’s modern-day Gestapo,” condemned the agency&#8217;s actions in his state.
The federal operation resulted in roughly 400 arrests of illegal immigrants.
Somali immigrant Abdimahat Bille Mohamed was let go as part of a plea agreement in two sexual assault cases earlier this year before he went on to allegedly rape a child and multiple adult women before allegedly kidnapping a woman and raping her, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/serial-kidnapper-and-rapist-charged-federally" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Department of Justice, which has since charged him federally.
“This Somali national in Minnesota is charged with raping a minor and multiple adult women before being detained — only to be quickly released by a local court, after which he committed yet another rape. This horrific case illustrates how left-wing soft-on-crime policies and vetting failures put innocent people at dire risk. If Minnesota will not protect its own people, the Department of Justice will do it for them,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said of the case earlier this month.
<h4>Fairfax County, Virginia</h4>
Authorities in Fairfax County, Virginia, released Salvadoran migrant Marvin Morales-Ortez, 23, who allegedly went on to murder a man less than 24 hours later.
Morales-Ortez allegedly fatally shot a man inside his Reston, Virginia, home after he was released from a local jail by authorities who ignored a federal immigration detainer to hand him over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to multiple reports.
Morales-Ortez crossed the southern border illegally in 2016, federal law enforcement sources recently told The Daily Wire.
An immigration judge dismissed his deportation case in 2022, effectively allowing him to stay in the country without any legal status, sources said.
He was also tagged as a suspected member of the violent MS-13 gang, according to ABC7.
Morales-Ortez had a lengthy rap sheet before committing his latest alleged crime.
In 2021, he was charged with first-degree murder, according to ABC7. He spent a year and a half in jail while awaiting trial, but was ultimately released after the authorities dropped the charges following a determination that someone else was to blame.
Morales-Ortez was found guilty of a previous theft case and fined $300, which he never paid, according to ABC7.
The illegal immigrant was charged for allegedly brandishing a gun and assaulting and injuring someone before he was released by sanctuary authorities this latest time, the local outlet reported.
The Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office dropped the case, leading to his release.
After a lengthy manhunt, authorities rearrested him.
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Fairfax County has notoriously operated as a sanctuary jurisdiction, routinely releasing illegal immigrants from jail without notifying ICE, <a href="https://cis.org/Map-Sanctuary-Cities-Counties-and-States" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Center for Immigration Studies.
&#8220;The sanctuary politicians of Fairfax County, VA have blood on their hands,&#8221; DHS said in response to the county&#8217;s handling of the latest illegal immigrant crime.
</div>
</div>
</section>
</div>
</div>

Participants seen holding a banner at the protest. A group

These Sanctuary Cities And States Are On The Naughty List This Year

Deportations

Fairfax County

Illegal Immigration

Illinois

New York City

Sanctuary Cities

Virginia

Democrat Gov. Tim Walz (MN) just had millions of federal dollars cut off from the Small Business Administration (SBA) to his state, due to the multi-billion-dollar fraud scandal that occurred under the governor&#8217;s nose.
SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler sent a letter to Walz on Tuesday, telling the governor that her agency will &#8220;halt&#8221; more than $5.5 million in annual support in the state &#8220;until further notice,&#8221; Fox News reported.
&#8220;I am notifying you that effective immediately and until further notice, the SBA is halting the disbursement of federal funds to SBA resource partners operating in the state of Minnesota, totaling over $5.5 million in annual support,&#8221; Loeffler said in the letter.
&#8220;This action is the result of a fundamental breakdown in the public trust,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Under your leadership, Minnesota failed to safeguard taxpayer dollars, and SBA will not continue to place federal resources at risk in a state where oversight measures are ignored and accountability is abandoned.&#8221;
A recent jaw-dropping press conference confirmed that $9 billion – or potentially more – of taxpayer money could have been stolen during Walz&#8217;s tenure. 
As outlined by federal prosecutor Joseph Thompson, 14 taxpayer-funded programs in particular were found to be rife with fraud since 2018. Those programs cost $18 billion, and Thompson said it’s possible that half of that, or more, could have been fraudulently claimed. 
“I think we&#8217;re an outlier in a bad way,&#8221; Thompson <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NirLDCHIpr0">said</a> of Minnesota. &#8220;You don&#8217;t see fraud on this scale in other states. &#8230; Every day we look under a rock and find a new $50 million fraud scheme. That shouldn&#8217;t be the case in a state of our size. Certainly other states have problems with frauds, but I think our problem is unique.”
Thompson said Minnesota earned a reputation for being, essentially, easy to rip off, which sparked what&#8217;s called &#8220;fraud tourism&#8221; — or people moving to the state to commit fraud.
Fraudsters, he said, would create companies entirely dedicated to fraud, which is different from up-charging for services, which is typical in Medicaid fraud. 
Walz, who’s unsurprisingly in the hot seat over the scandal, says Thompson is engaging in “sensationalism” and says there’s “<a href="https://www.startribune.com/walz-says-theres-no-evidence-of-9b-in-fraud-exposing-rift-between-state-and-feds/601549681">no evidence</a>” the scope is $9 billion or more. 
As for the rest of the Trump administration, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services (CMS), has threatened to withhold federal Medicaid funds if Minnesota fails to address widespread fraud and implement corrective actions.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/minnesota-is-currently-paying-an-indicted-somali-fraudster-to-run-assisted-living-homes">Minnesota Is Currently Paying An Indicted Somali Fraudster To Run ‘Assisted Living’ Homes</a>

JD Vance And Tim Walz Face Off In Vice Presidential Debate In New York

Tim Walz Gets More Bad News From Feds After Massive Fraud Scandal Exposed

Tim Walz Gets Bad News From Feds After Massive Fraud Scandal Exposed

Federal Government

President Donald Trump announces a new battleship fleet while clamping down on Venezuelan oil, a tangled web of schemes reveals even more fraud in Minnesota, and ballot-counting errors surface in a state that Joe Biden won by fewer than 12,000 votes. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.
It’s Tuesday, December 23, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below or on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251223-member-exclusive?elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+Show+Episodes+Carousel">The Daily Wire</a>:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trump-teases-golden-fleet-fulton-county-concerns-confirmed/id1576594336?i=1000742439989" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump’s Show Of Force In Caribbean</h2>
Amid a massive naval buildup in the Caribbean, President Trump announced new efforts to crack down on Venezuela’s socialist regime. The Coast Guard and Navy have seized two “dark fleet” tankers used by Venezuela to ship its oil under other countries’ flags. The additional pressure targets Venezuela’s primary source of funding–the sale of its oil internationally. More broadly, the True administration says the crackdown is intended to send a <a href="https://x.com/RichSementa/status/2003125034982731821?s=20">message</a> to the rest of the world, not just Venezuela, that the illegal activity such as that participated in by Maduro against the United States will not be tolerated.
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">‘Industrial-Scale Fraud’ In Minnesota</h2>
Stunning new details have surfaced in Minnesota’s sprawling fraud scandal, which is largely tied to the state’s Somali community. Federal prosecutor Joseph Thompson revealed in a shocking press conference that at least $9 billion of taxpayer money could have been stolen in an “industrial-scale fraud” operation. There were 14 taxpayer-funded programs in particular that have been rife with fraud since 2018. Those programs cost $18 billion dollars, and Thompson said it’s possible that half of that, or more, could have been fraudulently claimed. Fraud has been particularly bad in Minnesota, despite some politicians in the state trying to downplay the scandal. 
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Fulton County Admits It Broke Election Rules In 2020</h2>
Election officials in Georgia say that Fulton County violated state election rules when it certified some 315,000 ballots in the 2020 election. The issue came over tabulation tapes and &#8220;zero&#8221; tapes. State election rules say these tapes have to be signed by election workers to certify their authenticity, but for most of the polls across Fulton County, the tapes weren’t signed. Those tapes account for essentially every early in-person vote cast in Fulton County in 2020–about 315,000 in total. County officials essentially admitted to the mistake in a December 9 Georgia State Election Board meeting, <a href="https://thefederalist.com/2025/12/17/fulton-county-we-dont-dispute-315000-votes-lacking-poll-workers-signatures-were-counted-in-2020/">the Federalist reported</a>.

MRN_251223_V1

Morning Brief: Trump Squeezes Venezuela, Even More Minnesota Fraud, And Fulton County’s 2020 Problem

2020 Election

Georgia

Nicolas Maduro

Venezuela

A man awaiting trial for his alleged role in the nation&#8217;s largest COVID scam is to this day billing the government millions for dubious services.
The man indicted in the Feeding Our Future scandal, in which Somali nationals billed the government to provide millions of non-existent meals for the needy, is currently operating multiple assisted living homes in which adults live and receive on-demand services at taxpayer expense. That&#8217;s according to Minnesota lawmaker Kristin Robbins, a Republican who chairs the House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy Committee, which was set up in response to more than a billion dollars of fraud in roughly the last six years.
The person is <a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2024/02/16/man-indicted-in-feeding-our-future-fraud-has-been-paid-49-million-by-dhs-since-2016/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gandi Yusuf Mohamed</a>, who later changed his name to Gandi Abdi Kediye. &#8220;In February 2024, this person was indicted and charged for $1.1 million in money laundering in Feeding Our Future,&#8221; Robbins said at a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr9I2FqIwVY">hearing</a>. &#8220;This person was paid an additional $49 million for other state programs between 2019 and 2024. This person will have their trial in 2026.&#8221;
The suspected fraudster donated the maximum permitted campaign contribution of $2,500 to Minnesota&#8217;s Democrat attorney general Keith Ellison, according to a 2024 Minnesota Reformer article. That article quoted a Republican lawmaker explicitly calling on state authorities to review his contracts, yet he continued to operate. The federal Department of Justice said that Mohamed&#8217;s <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/us-attorney-announces-federal-charges-against-10-additional-defendants-feeding-our" target="_blank" rel="noopener">brother</a> was also part of the Feeding Our Future scheme.
Robbins said her tiny committee, with only one researcher using public documents, had found evidence of a sprawling fraud scheme that the Walz administration and Ellison had apparently done nothing to stop. The inaction raises questions about how many safety-net programs are being exploited in the state and whether Minnesota&#8217;s Democrat governor Tim Walz has taken even basic steps to stop fraud.
One real estate broker handled the purchase of a large number of single-family homes, including on behalf of Mohamed, the Feeding Our Future defendant, that were then converted into assisted living facilities that billed Medicaid. One assisted living company used three houses owned by the defendant and operated by his wife through a different company. The wife recently purchased a fourth home, again using the realtor, to which the state granted a provisional license in September, her committee found.
&#8220;Incredibly, the Feeding Our Future defendant changed his name just months before he was indicted, and used that new name to purchase the two [assisted-living facility] homes [as a business referred to as] ALF 17, that the state has paid $132,000 this year. One was purchased using the same LLC that he&#8217;s indicted for money laundering&#8221; over, she said. &#8220;If we haven&#8217;t cross-checked people who are indicted to see what other services they&#8217;ve received, we have failed.&#8221;
Another realtor purchased multiple homes, and one recipient testified months ago that he was not getting medical services despite the owner billing $1.6 million to the government. The government shut down payments to him in one program, Integrated Community Supports, but he is still operating in the assisted living program.
Another person, who used one of the same realtors, runs a mining operation in Africa and a restaurant in Minneapolis that was shut down for illegal gambling. He used the same address as a building that purported to house 100 different health care companies. One property he owns has only four bedrooms, yet &#8220;got $826,000 last year and is on pace to double that,&#8221; Robbins said.
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Another assisted living facility he purchased using cash and claimed it as his primary residence to avoid taxes, despite also claiming another home for that, she said: &#8220;That should be a basic internal control that is being flagged.&#8221;
One individual also purposed to operate an adult daycare center that billed $632,000 this year — at the same address as the African mine operator, suggesting the same home was being double-billed, she said.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1016627" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/web.jpg" alt="" width="1574" height="1016" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/web.jpg 1574w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/web-300x194.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/web-892x576.jpg 892w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/web-768x496.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/web-1536x991.jpg 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 1574px) 100vw, 1574px" /></div>
Minnesota has historically provided generous government programs to help the elderly, sick, and needy. But after an explosion of immigrants from low-trust societies like Somalia, such programs have grown at a pace that defies common sense and threatens the ability to operate such programs.
Minnesota&#8217;s Department of Human Services Inspector General James Clark told the committee, &#8220;Medicaid is a trust-based system; we don&#8217;t have the technology or staff to look over everyone&#8217;s shoulder.&#8221;
The number of people providing &#8220;adult day care&#8221; has increased 43% in the last decade, even though the number of people requiring such care has only increased 7%, and there is typically a shortage of qualified health care workers, state officials acknowledged.
&#8220;Just yesterday, we announced that effective February 1, we will enact a two-year pause on adult day care licenses,&#8221; said Shireen Gandhi, the Minnesota Department of Human Services&#8217; temporary commissioner.
Asked why the state would have approved so many providers for which there is no demand, Gandhi said she was pressured by &#8220;a whole host of legislators and providers.&#8221;
Clark said there was supposed to be a &#8220;needs assessment&#8221; required before new adult day care centers could be licensed, &#8220;but unfortunately, that was removed from the statute&#8221; by legislators.
He said as long as the spigots of Medicaid dollars are flowing, recovering fraudulent payouts is difficult If a provider pays kickbacks to a fake patient, both are in on the scam, and neither will talk.
Even as Walz acknowledged that <a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/briefs/walz-pauses-payments-for-14-high-risk-medicaid-programs/">fourteen programs that pushed the boundaries</a> of what Medicaid is supposed to pay for using waivers from the federal government are at &#8220;high risk&#8221; of fraud, John Collins, Medicaid director at the Department of Human Services, said he did not even know the dollar figure of the growth in spending. &#8220;But it&#8217;s a very reasonable thing to ask,&#8221; he said.
Growth in payments for assisted living are 10 to 15 percent higher than growth in other programs, Robbins said. Democrat members suggested that could be because baby boomers are beginning to become elderly. Yet a county-by-county breakdown showed that almost all the growth came around Minneapolis, where Somalis are concentrated.
Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Brooke Cunningham said &#8220;we are not currently aware of any credible allegations of fraud within the assisted living space.&#8221;
Robbins told The Daily Wire in a post-hearing interview that Cunningham&#8217;s claim was &#8220;shocking.&#8221;
&#8220;That would imply that they don&#8217;t have whistleblowers to their own agency, which is false,&#8221; Robbins said. &#8220;And they just opened their own whistleblower tip line.&#8221;
Democrats on the committee faulted Robbins for not sharing her whistleblower leads with Attorney General Ellison in addition to the U.S. Attorney. But Robbins said many of the whistleblowers only approached her as a last resort after being ignored by the Minnesota executive branch.
Gandhi, the Department of Human Services commissioner, said, &#8220;Fraud is not a partisan issue. People of all races, ages and incomes commit fraud.&#8221;
But Robbins told The Daily Wire that Democrats opposed the creation of an anti-fraud committee in the legislature, and that Walz&#8217;s Human Services head opposed the creation of a government-wide inspector general.
She said one reason Democrats have opposed rooting out fraud is that most of it is done by Somalis. &#8220;One reason the fraud mushroomed is when they raised concerns, they were told to be quiet because they didn&#8217;t want to be considered Islamophobic,&#8221; she said.
Somalis have outright used that as a get-out-of-jail-free card, with some Feeding our Future culprits suing the Department of Education on the grounds that it was racist, she said.
If Democrats won&#8217;t stop fraud, then big-government programs cease to become an option, she said: &#8220;We need to refocus on the original intent of Medicaid, which is health care for the elderly and disabled. If we refocus, we&#8217;d see more support and higher reimbursements for our hospitals.&#8221;
The high-risk programs involve expanding Medicaid beyond its intended scope using waivers granted by the federal government. One such program has been terminated after going through a 90-day federal process, Rollins said. Medicaid bills are split by the state and federal government, and the feds could demand that the state repay fraudulent funds, which could cripple the state, she said.
Nate Olsen, a disability advocate, became emotional at the hearing, faulting Walz for looking the other way at fraud to an extent that there could be no money left for taking care of Olsen&#8217;s disabled brother.
&#8220;Our governor is not doing anything to help us except to sit here and decide he wants to blame the president of the United States, who has nothing to do with this,&#8221; Olsen said. &#8220;There is a time to hold our governor accountable, and I&#8217;m not seeing it. This fraud is outrageous and I&#8217;m very scared for my little brother.&#8221;

Brooke Cunningham, Tim Walz

Minnesota Is Currently Paying An Indicted Somali Fraudster To Run ‘Assisted Living’ Homes

Daily Wire Investigative Reporter Luke Rosiak details his reporting on governmental waste and fraud before Congress, controversy swirls around Zohran Mamdani’s administration-to-be, and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) gives us an inside look at Minnesota’s fraud scandal.
It’s Thursday, December 11, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251211-member-exclusive">video version can be seen on The Daily Wire</a>:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Senate Digs Into DEI Fraud</h2>
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Topline: The Senate is investigating a multi-billion-dollar DEI fraud scheme, as the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates, sending markets soaring. 
Senate drills into DEI: The Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program was initially intended to offer support for those deemed “socially and economically disadvantaged.” Under the Biden administration, federal agencies were instructed to ensure 15% of all contracts were given to businesses operated by minorities or women, meaning billions of taxpayer dollars were awarded based on race and gender in what became one of the largest DEI programs in the country.
Not only was the program intentionally excluding people based on race, but it was also ripe with fraud. Daily Wire Investigative Reporter Luke Rosiak documented countless cases in which minority business owners would win a contract, then outsource all the work to non-minority-owned businesses, pocketing most of the money in the process.
On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Small Business held a hearing to address the fraud, and Rosiak testified about his findings.
“8A creates a random group of influence peddlers who like lobbyists, get rich by selling their access to government insiders to the benefit of big businesses, while driving up the cost for all of us. This is the kind of thing people hate about Washington. You owe it to voters to end this program,” <a href="https://x.com/realDailyWire/status/1998848540135555157?s=20">said</a> Rosiak.
Interest rates: On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve Board voted to cut interest rates by a quarter point to the 3.5%-3.75% range. That means rates have now come down by nearly 2% over the last year and a half. They’re now at their lowest point in more than three years.
There was not unanimous agreement from the voting members of the Fed Board. For the first time in six years, three of the twelve officials cast dissenting votes, with two saying cuts weren’t needed, and one saying the cut should be bigger.
Essentially, the disagreement stems from whether the Fed should prioritize the labor market, which has slowed significantly, or inflation, which remains well above the target range of 2%. Typically, rates are raised when inflation is high, and lowered when the labor market is cool. Ultimately, the Fed Board, led by Chair Jerome Powell, viewed the labor market as a more pressing matter, and said these cuts would help with hiring and unemployment. 
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Mamdani’s Rule Already Stirring Controversy</h2>
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Topline: As New York City braces for a seismic shift in leadership with democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani taking the helm as mayor next month, a wave of controversy is erupting over his early moves.
Many political pundits, particularly those on the Right, warned that Mamdani would endanger public safety and undermine law enforcement, and now they say they’re seeing evidence for these claims even before he has officially taken office.
One of the most talked-about moves came just days ago, when Mamdani put out a video addressed to immigrants living in New York City. In it, he <a href="https://x.com/Bubblebathgirl/status/1997801475066745259?s=20">told</a> viewers they have the right to “stand up to ICE.”
Critics argue this goes beyond merely explaining constitutional rights. Some say it could embolden illegal aliens, even those with criminal records, to resist or evade lawful ICE action.
Mamdani’s transition: The transition team has been an explosive topic as Mamdani has tapped Mysonne Linen to be a key voice on justice reform on the “Committee on the Criminal Legal System.”
Linen was once a rising hip-hop star signed to Def Jam. But in 1999, he was convicted of two armed robberies where he held up taxi drivers at gunpoint. He served seven years and was paroled in 2006.
He then rebranded as a Black Lives Matter activist and co-founded Until Freedom with Linda Sarsour, a controversial pro-Palestinian activist who has also served as a Mamdani advisor.
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The choice has driven law enforcement apoplectic. Correction officers’ union head Benny Boscio called it “disheartening and deeply disturbing.” Retired NYPD brass such as John Chell see a pattern with Mamdani filling his team with anti-cop firebrands like black nationalist Lumumba Bandele, defund-the-police guru Alex Vitale, and others.
Mamdani says he just wants a broad array of “experiences and analysis” to draw from.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">What’s Behind The Massive Somali Fraud Scandal?</h2>
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Topline: The sweeping fraud allegations coming out of Minnesota have sparked demands for more investigations and further action from political leaders in D.C. to protect against billions more in taxpayer dollars getting funneled into the hands of fraudsters. Morning Wire spoke with House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who represents Minnesota’s 6th congressional district, about the scandal. (This interview has been lightly edited.)
Morning Wire: We have this massive fraud scandal continuing to unravel this week. What do you believe were the most critical oversight failures within the Walz administration? And how should Minnesota restructure its safeguards to prevent this from happening again?
Emmer: The first thing you do is you got to get rid of [Minnesota Democratic Governor] Tim Walz and [Minnesota Attorney General] Keith Ellison and [Congresswoman] Ilhan Omar. I mean, there&#8217;s your biggest structural problem right there. Let me put some context around this for your viewers, your listeners. … The facts are this: today, there are roughly 80,000 Somali immigrants that are living in Minnesota. The vast majority of them live in Minneapolis or Hennepin County–an area called Cedar-Riverside. … Tim Walz and Keith Ellison cannot get votes in greater Minnesota. Think about this: in the last election, Tim Walz outspent the Republican candidates $15 million to $1.7 million, and he won with 52%, just over 52% of the vote. If you look a little deeper, we have 87 counties. Tim Walz only won the 13 metro counties. We&#8217;ll go a little farther. If you look at the 74 counties that he lost, he got 37% of the vote, including losing his former congressional seat by eight points. So, what is this about? This is about the fact that when he and Keith Ellison took office, Keith Ellison instantly set up a policy in his attorney general&#8217;s office that required his approval before any further investigations into fraud could go forward. Guess what? He&#8217;s never approved one of them. … And it&#8217;s not that all Somali immigrants are bad. It just so happens that 90% of the crimes we&#8217;re talking about have been committed by people that are in the Somali community. And by the way, they have been sending millions back to Somalia into the hands of Al-Shabaab, a known terrorist group. So, if you look at Keith Ellison, he won by a little less than one point in his last election. What is this all about? This is all about them getting re-elected. They need that 60 to 80,000 Somali population. They need them to be voting for them. That&#8217;s what this is all about.
Morning Wire: You mentioned the word accountability. We do have some individual actors being convicted, but what about on the government level? What about some of these officials? Is there any action being taken to hold people accountable if they looked the other way knowingly? What investigations are going on with that, and what do you hope to see pursued?
Emmer: Look, I think our U.S. Justice Department is starting to pick up where Minnesota should have been involved investigating not only the fraud but who might have been not just incompetent but actively engaged in the fraud because they should be criminally held, criminally responsible. You&#8217;ve got Dr. Oz, who&#8217;s investigating a fraud on the Medicaid program. You&#8217;ve got Kelly Loeffler, who&#8217;s investigating fraud in the SBA program. You got Kash Patel, who&#8217;s busy with his team investigating Somali gangs that have frankly been running rampant in the Twin Cities committing crimes and no one will hold them accountable for it.

MRN_251211_V2

Morning Brief: DEI Fraud Exposed, Mamdani’s Radical Moves, & Minnesota Scandal Reveals Fault Lines

Morning Brief: Senate Digs Into DEI, Mamdani Picks Stoke Controversy, And The Politics Of MN Fraud

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