The winner of the Minnesota 2021 &#8220;Outstanding Refugee&#8221; award has now been charged with Medicaid fraud and is tied to a sex-trafficking ring. 
Salman Ahmed Elmi, a 30-year-old refugee from Somalia, won &#8220;Outstanding Refugee&#8221; in entrepreneurship award from the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Now, he faces three counts of aiding and abetting theft by swindle and five counts of aiding and abetting theft by false representation, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/medicaid-fraud-sex-trafficking-twin-cities/">reported</a> on Tuesday. 
The state website has since removed the page featuring Elmi’s award. The Minnesota Department of Human Services did not immediately respond to The Daily Wire’s request for comment as to whether it plans to revoke the award. 
A criminal complaint filed in Ramsey County accuses Elmi — along with Frank Reeves, Viktoriya Komonash, and Andrea Sampson — of billing more than $4.5 million to Medicaid since 2023 through their four agencies: Reva Health, Reva Autism, Helpful Housing, and Homefelt Assisted Living. The fraud scheme focused on recruiting young women struggling with homelessness, addiction, or financial issues into a pay for sex scheme. 
The complaint <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/medicaid-fraud-sex-trafficking-twin-cities/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">alleges</a> that Elmi, Reeves, Komonash, and Sampson used the identities of sex trafficking victims to rent apartments and make claims to Medicaid.
&#8220;I started a business to help inspire other people,&#8221; Elmi said in the now-removed post on the Minnesota DHS website. &#8220;No one owns businesses in my family; my entire family came here with the idea that the American dream was just getting a job and making it work, so shifting that mindset was difficult but important. Navigating those treacherous waters allowed me to provide for my family and work on my terms.&#8221;
A spokesman for the Minnesota Department of Human Services <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/minnesota-outstanding-refugee-honoree-accused-fraud-scheme-tied-sex-trafficking-cant-make-up">told</a> Fox News that Elmi’s actions do not reflect the goal of the “Outstanding Refugee Awards.” 
“Salman Elmi’s alleged actions are disturbing and do not reflect the goal of the Outstanding Refugee Awards,&#8221; the spokesman said, adding, &#8220;They also do not represent Minnesota’s refugee community. We are surrounded by neighbors, coworkers, employees and friends with powerful stories of resilience in the face of difficult circumstances, who are showing leadership in small as well as large ways to improve their communities. The Outstanding Refugee Awards were a way to recognize some of the individuals who make Minnesota better for all of us.&#8221;
The spokesman said there was no financial benefit tied to the award.
&#8220;The value came from the opportunity to recognize the courage, resilience and entrepreneurship of refugees and their children, and to recognize their contributions to the state. Refugees and immigrants offer skills to a needed workforce, provide entrepreneurial innovation and expand worldwide networks – all of which benefit Minnesota.&#8221; 
Elmi was released from custody on Monday, with his court hearing scheduled for early October. The judge required Elmi to surrender his passport and remain in Minnesota. Elmi’s alleged counterparts were taken into custody last Friday. 
Over the last year, federal prosecutors have revealed a pattern of systemic fraud in Minnesota, with prosecutors saying the total amount could total $9 billion statewide. Testifying before Congress earlier this year, Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz acknowledged that Minnesota’s programs are not immune to fraud but argued that “Minnesota&#8217;s programs have overwhelmingly achieved their intended purposes.”

Screenshot 2026-08-18 at 5.55.34 PM

‘Outstanding Refugee’ Of Minnesota Faces Criminal Fraud Charges

Fraud

Medicaid

Minnesota

Salman Ahmed Elmi

Tim Walz

A parent dropping off a child at a home daycare in Hopkins, Minnesota, on Wednesday witnessed a brutal attack that turned into a murder scene. 
Authorities said a 41-year-old woman and her 7-year-old daughter were later found stabbed to death at the home daycare the woman owned after a parent who witnessed the attack in the home&#8217;s basement called police. The killer was the woman&#8217;s husband and the young girl&#8217;s father, according to police.
Authorities said the husband shot himself after killing his wife and daughter. Six other children were at the home daycare at the time of the attack, but none of them were physically harmed. Authorities have not released the names of the victims or the suspect.
The Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families lists Kristen Brown as the owner of the home daycare and shows that she was licensed on February 1, 2019. The Daily Wire also reviewed a Facebook page belonging to Kristen Brown that featured photos of a daycare called Brown Bear Childcare.
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_1156507" style="width: 639px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156507" class="wp-image-1156507 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-12-at-3.57.43-PM-1-629x576.png" alt="" width="629" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-12-at-3.57.43-PM-1-629x576.png 629w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-12-at-3.57.43-PM-1-300x275.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-12-at-3.57.43-PM-1-768x703.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-12-at-3.57.43-PM-1.png 1136w" sizes=" (max-width: 629px) 100vw, 629px" />Google Earth Image</div>
&#8220;This is a horrific, tragic situation for any community, especially here in Hopkins, where we don’t see this type of crime,&#8221; Hopkins Police Chief Brent Johnson said.
&#8220;There&#8217;s no worse scenario than this, where you drop off your child somewhere you think is safe, and you get that phone call,&#8221; Johnson added. 
He confirmed six children who “were all very, very young children” were removed from the home daycare. Neighbor Amanda Marx witnessed the massive police response unfold from across the street around 9 a.m. CT.  
“Then they came out from the back and said, ‘Get the crime scene tape,” she said. Shortly after, she watched police escort the remaining children out of the house. Marx <a href="https://www.audacy.com/wben/news/national/minnesota-daycare-killings-brown-bear-hopkins-a4057d1d7c5a166e10bc3298f7f184fb">said</a> she had never met the couple and was unaware there was a daycare. 
At 12:23 p.m., Burnsville police <a href="https://www.fox9.com/news/burnsville-homicide-connected-hopkins-daycare-deaths-police-say">responded</a> to a separate stabbing at a home where they found a 78-year-old woman dead. Burnsville Police Chief Matt Smith said the victim was a &#8220;close family relative&#8221; of the suspect in the Hopkins incident, and that the suspect had recently lived in the home where the woman was found dead.
Brown&#8217;s Facebook shows she opened the daycare center in 2019 so that she could work from home with her firstborn, who was born in October 2018. 
“As much as I loved my previous positions, I believe that it is time to return to child care so that I can be home with her,” she <a href="https://www.facebook.com/brownbearmn">said</a>. She described the day-to-day routine in her home daycare as a “well-rounded experience.”

Crime scene

Routine Daycare Drop Off Turns Into Scene Of Unspeakable Horror

Daycare

Domestic Violence

Murder

A far-Left candidate who infamously wore a pro-trans shirt emblazoned with a knife coasted to an easy victory in Minnesota’s Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday night. 
Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan defeated Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) in the race to replace outgoing Democratic Senator Tina Smith. Flanagan, who took 59% of the vote to Craig’s 39%, will face former NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya, who won the Republican primary. 
“For months now, I have been telling you that this campaign was about the many versus the money. Well, guess what? The many just won,” Flanagan said during her victory speech. “And we are not about to give Donald Trump another loyal soldier like Michelle Tafoya to take his orders and do his bidding.”
Flanagan’s win was another boost for the far-Left wing of the Democratic Party, which has seen recent wins across the country in states like New York and Michigan. The occasionally <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/meet-minnesotas-hijab-wearing-childrens-gender-surgery-advocate-whos-running-for-u-s-senate?utm_source=chatgpt.com">hijab-wearing</a> Flanagan aggressively supports transgender procedures for kids, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/minnesota-dem-goes-on-unhinged-rant-defending-somalis-from-trump?utm_source=chatgpt.com">called</a> Minnesota’s Somali population the “fabric of the state,” and promised to “rip ICE apart&#8221; during her victory speech. 
During the campaign, Flanagan lashed out at Craig for voting for the &#8220;Laken Riley Act,&#8221; a law that would require federal officials to arrest illegal immigrants who are charged with theft-related crimes in the United States. The bill was proposed after an illegal immigrant with previous theft charges murdered 22-year-old Georgia nursing student Laken Riley.
As lieutenant governor, Flanagan backed an executive order from Democratic Governor Tim Walz protecting so-called “gender-affirming care” in Minnesota. During the signing ceremony, she wore a shirt with a picture of a knife and the words “Protect Trans Kids.&#8221;
“Let’s be clear: this is life-affirming and life-saving health care,” she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leftist-minnesota-just-gave-state-power-to-take-kids-away-if-parents-dont-approve-gender-surgery?utm_source=chatgpt.com">said</a>. “When our children tell us who they are, it is our job as grown-ups to listen and to believe them. That’s what it means to be a good parent.”
Tafoya, who has won multiple Emmy awards while appearing as a sideline reporter for ABC, NBC, and ESPN, won the GOP nomination with 52% of the vote. She defeated former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze and ex-NBA player Royce White. 
“Minnesota is in play. We have a real opportunity to flip this Senate seat and defeat far-left socialist Democrats in November,” Tafoya said on Tuesday as voting started. “Let’s get it done, Minnesota.”
Tafoya’s campaign has been focused on targeting fraud, supporting law enforcement, keeping men out of women’s sports, and supporting voter ID.

Democratic Senate Candidate Peggy Flanagan Campaigns Ahead Of Minnesota Primary

Candidate Known For Pro-Trans Knife Shirt Defeats Dem Establishment Pick In Senate Race

2026 Midterms

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Peggy Flanagan

Senate

Somalis

transgender surgery

Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth won her state&#8217;s Republican primary for governor on Tuesday, defeating former MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell who boasted an endorsement from President Donald Trump.
Demuth <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-primary-elections/minnesota-governor-results">secured</a> 43.4% of the vote to Lindell&#8217;s 32.5%, with 99% of the ballots counted as of Wednesday morning. She now advances to the November general election to face Democratic nominee Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in an open-seat race to succeed outgoing Democratic Governor Tim Walz.
Demuth’s victory marks a significant milestone in her rapid rise through state politics. First elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2018 representing District 13A, she quickly built a reputation as an effective party leader. She won four consecutive House elections by <a href="https://mn.electionarchives.lib.umn.edu/candidate/lisa-demuth">increasingly decisive margins</a> before becoming the House Republican minority leader in 2022.
Following the 2024 elections, which resulted in an even 67–67 partisan tie in the chamber, Demuth was elected speaker of the House in early 2025 after a protracted leadership fight that reached the Minnesota Supreme Court. Prior to her legislative career, Demuth was a local business owner and served 11 years on the ROCORI School Board.
Trump endorsed Lindell in a post on Truth Social on July 15, writing, “If given the chance, Mike will be SPECTACULAR!!! He truly loves Minnesota, as do I, and wants to bring it back from oblivion and embarrassment.” On Tuesday, Trump again urged Minnesotans to vote for Lindell.
&#8220;Mike Lindell deserves a BIG WIN IN MINNESOTA today,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://x.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/2087180727670509955">wrote</a>. &#8220;Nobody has worked harder, and given up so much, in fighting for free and fair Elections.&#8221;
Last month, Lindell sparked conservative backlash when he came out in support of an amnesty period for illegal immigrants in some cases.
“I’d like the whole United States to do this, but let’s say I did it here in Minnesota,” Lindell told the <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/state/4658121/mike-lindell-six-month-amnesty-illegal-immigrants-minnesota-governor/">Washington Examiner</a>. “Six months, all the illegal immigrants would have to go get what’s going to be called a conditional work visa.”
Trump&#8217;s endorsement of Lindell reflected a decade-long relationship between Trump and Lindell that evolved from a casual business connection into one of the most persistent political alliances in the MAGA movement.
The two men first met at Trump Tower in August 2016, where they bonded over American manufacturing and entrepreneurship. Lindell appeared frequently at Trump campaign rallies and White House events during Trump’s presidency. Their bond deepened substantially following the 2020 presidential election, as Lindell emerged as one of the most aggressive defenders of Trump’s election claims, funding media platforms and events to challenge the results.
Despite Trump&#8217;s backing, primary voters ultimately favored Demuth&#8217;s legislative track record, setting up a stark general election contrast with Sen. Klobuchar, who secured the Democratic nomination with 89.1% of the vote.
Demuth has focused heavily on investigating state grant programs following recent social service spending scandals. She advocates for stricter sentencing guidelines for repeat offenders and increased resources for law enforcement and supports expanding school choice scholarship credits, refocusing K-12 curricula on core academic subjects, and lifting state restrictions on new nuclear power generation.

Mike Lindell, MyPillow founder and CEO launches Minnesota Governor campaign

Trump-Endorsed Mike Lindell Goes Down In GOP Primary

2026 election

Amy Klobuchar

Donald Trump

Mike Lindell

Republicans

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham&#8217;s comments defending women&#8217;s sports continued to reverberate across the WNBA on Sunday, as Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve appeared to protest the Fever star by wearing a &#8220;Trans Kids Belong&#8221; shirt during Minnesota&#8217;s 108-100 victory over Indiana.
Reeve&#8217;s shirt marked the latest public response to Cunningham, who has become one of the league&#8217;s most polarizing figures after saying biological males should not compete in girls&#8217; and women&#8217;s sports.
Before tipoff, Cunningham and Reeve met briefly at midcourt in what appeared to be a cordial conversation. Reeve later <a href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/sparks/story/2026-08-02/lynx-coach-wears-shirt-supporting-trans-kids-joining-protests">told reporters</a> the two discussed the responsibility that comes with having large public platforms but declined to elaborate on the specifics. &#8220;Both of us understand that we have platforms and we both talked about wanting to, more than anything, educate,&#8221; Reeve said after the game. &#8220;There are some things that we have in common, and maybe some things you differ on.&#8221;
The atmosphere inside Target Center reflected the controversy surrounding Cunningham&#8217;s remarks. She was loudly booed during player introductions and again nearly every time she touched the ball throughout the afternoon. Some fans inside the arena also wore shirts displaying the same &#8220;Trans Kids Belong&#8221; slogan as Reeve.
The tension spilled onto the court during the second quarter when Cunningham absorbed an elbow to the face while defending a Minnesota player. Despite appearing to take the contact, officials assessed Cunningham with a defensive foul instead. The ruling prompted confusion from the game&#8217;s broadcast crew and loud cheers from the home crowd after officials briefly reviewed the play and allowed the call to stand.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Sophie Cunningham got ELBOWED in the face&#8230;
Refs call a foul on Sophie Cunningham 🤔 <a href="https://t.co/IiDJGMT0UO">pic.twitter.com/IiDJGMT0UO</a>
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) <a href="https://x.com/BrickCenter_/status/2083971409924223143?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
Outside the arena, supporters and opponents of Cunningham&#8217;s position staged competing demonstrations before the game.
Women&#8217;s sports advocates gathered wearing XX-XY Athletics apparel and carrying signs reading &#8220;Thank You Sophie,&#8221; &#8220;Pro-Women, Not Anti-Trans,&#8221; and &#8220;Trust the Science.&#8221; Nearby, pro-transgender activists assembled with signs supporting transgender athletes and used megaphones to challenge Cunningham&#8217;s supporters.
Video from the demonstrations showed heated verbal exchanges between the two groups, with security personnel intervening after at least one physical confrontation.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
🚨 BREAKING: The trans supporters just assaulted a Sophie Cunningham supporter outside Target Center in Minneapolis.
Security has stepped in. <a href="https://t.co/wW0IsAtFnp">pic.twitter.com/wW0IsAtFnp</a>
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) <a href="https://x.com/GrageDustin/status/2083946263314043288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
The demonstrations marked the third consecutive Fever road game to feature organized protests framed around Cunningham&#8217;s remarks. Similar rallies took place in Seattle and Portland after the Fever guard publicly stated that young female athletes &#8220;shouldn&#8217;t have to go against biological men.&#8221;
The Seattle demonstration ultimately resulted in disciplinary action from the WNBA after Storm minority owner Celeste Keaton <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sophie-cunningham-rips-wnba-team-co-owner-for-harassing-teens-girls-with-xx-xy-shirts?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Sophie+Cunningham+Rips+WNBA+Team+Co-Owner+For+Harassing+Teen+Girls+With+XX-XY+Shirts">confronted</a> two teenage girls wearing XX-XY Athletics shirts, cursing at them and leaving one in tears. The league later fined the Storm and suspended Keaton from attending the team&#8217;s next five home games.
Despite the backlash, Cunningham has repeatedly said she does not intend to back away from her position. &#8220;I&#8217;m here to play basketball, but I&#8217;m also here to be me,&#8221; Cunningham <a href="https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/49502120/sophie-cunningham-unconcerned-rallies-transgender-participation-women-sports-distraction-fever">said before</a> Friday&#8217;s game in Portland. &#8220;I&#8217;m not going to shadow that or hide or dim my light just because maybe people don&#8217;t agree with that.&#8221;
The controversy has increasingly overshadowed Indiana&#8217;s recent road trip, with organized protests, fan demonstrations and public responses from coaches and team officials following the Fever from city to city as Cunningham&#8217;s profile continues to grow off the court.

Indiana Fever v Seattle Storm

WNBA Coach Protests Sophie Cunningham With Pro-Trans Shirt

Indiana

Indiana Fever

LGBTQ

Protest

Sophie Cunningham

trans

trans kids

Transgender

transgender athlete

Transgender Athletes

WNBA

Women's sports

Hackers believed to be backed by Iran targeted more than 30 municipal water systems across Minnesota this week, several media outlets reported, appearing to validate months of <a href="https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa26-097a">federal warnings</a> that Tehran aimed to disrupt internet-exposed devices controlling operations at U.S. water, wastewater, and energy facilities.
<a href="https://mn.gov/mnit/media/blog/?id=38-761869">Minnesota IT Services (MNIT)</a> said a &#8220;coordinated cyberattack&#8221; targeted operational technology on July 26 and 27, triggering the state&#8217;s cybersecurity incident response protocols.
The attack briefly knocked one system offline and disrupted remote sensors at another, according to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/07/30/us-spy-agencies-suspect-iran-launched-cyberattack-minnesota-water-facilities/">The Washington Post.</a> No drinking water has been reported as unsafe, according to the outlet.
&#8220;Cyberattacks against critical infrastructure require a coordinated, whole-of-government response,&#8221; said John Israel, Minnesota chief information security officer. &#8220;MNIT is working side by side with our partners to share intelligence, support affected communities, and help utilities restore operations safely while strengthening defenses against future attacks.”
Investigators are now probing whether Iranian hackers carried out the attack, but intelligence officials cautioned the assessment remains preliminary as additional forensic evidence is gathered, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-investigating-iran-cyberattack-minnesota-water-systems/">according</a> to CBS News. Officials have not ruled out the possibility that another actor is posing as Iran to inflame tensions amid the U.S. conflict with the regime. 
The FBI is investigating, The Washington Post reported. If Iranian involvement is confirmed, it could mark a serious escalation in Tehran&#8217;s ongoing campaign to target U.S. critical infrastructure. 
“It is not a secret that these things have been taking place since the spring,” Joe Slowik, director of threat research for Dataminr, told the Post. “There have been disruptions in multiple critical infrastructure sectors. It’s a big deal.”
President Trump, however, cast doubt on reports linking Iran to the attack, using a Cabinet meeting at Camp David to dismiss the incident and instead blame Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
“I think Minnesota is behind it. Do you know who&#8217;s behind it? Minnesota, because they&#8217;re grossly incompetent. I think the governor&#8217;s behind it,” Trump <a href="https://x.com/Acyn/status/2083228500077797797?s=20">said</a>. “I don&#8217;t think there was an Iranian cyber attack. I think that Minnesota ought to get its act together. It&#8217;s one of the worst-run states.” 
&#8220;They like to say, &#8216;Oh, it was Iran.&#8217; Iran should be so lucky. Iran&#8217;s got bigger problems than worrying about Minnesota,&#8221; the president <a href="https://x.com/disclosetv/status/2083215311315087592?s=20">added</a>.
Nate George, the mayor of Braham, Minnesota, appeared to echo Trump&#8217;s criticism, arguing that misplaced government spending leaves local communities less prepared to defend against cyberattacks.
&#8220;This is exactly why state government must spend taxpayers&#8217; money on the things that matter, not political agenda action items,&#8221; George said. &#8220;That means funding Local Government Aid and providing practical assistance to help communities strengthen cybersecurity, replace aging systems, and protect basic services residents and businesses rely upon.&#8221;
Walz, on the other hand, quickly fired back, arguing that federal cuts made the U.S. vulnerable to such attacks. 
“Trump knows exactly who is responsible for this attack, and knows that other states were hit too. This is what modern warfare looks like, and it further illustrates there’s no plan to win a war with Iran,” Walz <a href="https://x.com/GovTimWalz/status/2083235434168021219?s=20">said</a> on X. “DOGE took an axe to CISA and left the U.S. exposed to cyber attacks. Thankfully, our experts in Minnesota were able to identify the vulnerability quickly and work with local communities to stop it.”

America’s Water Supply Was Attacked, And Iran Is The Main Suspect

Cyberattack

Cybersecurity

Iran

Islamic Republic

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

News

Politics

President Trump

Terrorism

Trump

water

Shiloh Hendrix 2

The Shiloh Hendrix Trial Was Even More Corrupt Than We Thought

First Amendment

Free Speech

NAACP

Rochester

Shiloh Hendrix

Minnesota schools and hospitals will provide dolls with removable genitals to children as young as four in order to allow them to express their sexual identities.
MyGender Dolls were created by staff at the University of Minnesota, a publicly funded university. They are intended for use as an educational toy for children ages four through ten.
The idea for the dolls came from University of Minnesota professor Rachel Becker-Warner. Associate professors Dr. Dianne Berg and Nic Rider then developed the dolls for a research project, later turning it into a commercial venture.
MyGender Dolls website describes the <a href="https://mygenderdolls.com/">toys</a> as “a new play-based therapeutic approach for trans and gender diverse children — and the clinicians who support them.”
“We make gender fun! Our award-winning dolls and services are community-informed, research-driven, culturally-attuned, and grounded in gender-affirming clinical practice,” the website said, adding that the dolls will be released to educators this year.
The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/07/25/us-news/taxpayer-funded-transgender-dolls-to-hit-classrooms-this-fall/">said</a> the toys are “like a trans Mr./Mrs. Potato Head” and come with removable internal and external genitalia, and over 100 interchangeable pieces of clothing including underwear and skirts.
“The concept is similar to classic paper dolls; kids can select bodies, genitals, clothes, and other accessories as a way to visualize their anatomy and genders,&#8221; according to a deleted summary of the project from the University of Minnesota&#8217;s Eli Coleman Institute for Sexual and Gender Health (ISGH) <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/transgender-dolls-available-minnesota-schoolchildren-young-4-under-walz-backed-program-report.amp">recovered</a> by Fox News.
“I think everyone should know that there’s diversity in gender identity and that what is ‘real’ is not what your body parts are, but how you think and feel,” Berg <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CtxIqcgp-oQ/?img_index=2">stated</a> on social media and in a now-deleted article in the university’s Discovery Magazine.
Berg also admitted that she and other medical professionals have been using the dolls on their child patients to help them explore their identity and get them to talk about their private parts.
“We were able to explore and brainstorm not just what our bodies are able to do now but what we want our bodies to do and look like in the future,” Adjunct Assistant Professor Elizabeth Panetta said.
The University of Minnesota Medical School’s Institute for Sexual and Gender Health paid the families of “trans and gender diverse children” between $20 and $60 to play with the dolls and “talk about gender and bodies” in groups.
Governor Tim Walz (D-MN), who received the “Distinguished Sexual and Gender Health Champion Award” in 2023 from the University of Minnesota’s ISGH, has been giving $15 million annually to “increase the medical school’s research capacity” and “ensure its national prominence.”
Dr. Quentin Van Meter, past president of the American College of Pediatricians, called the dolls a “grooming tool” that would likely only create anxiety and confusion.
“The younger kids — many of them still believe in the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy. And you’re then presenting them with paper dolls that kind of look fun, and you can change clothing, hair, genitals … It’s well beyond their ability to sort out fantasy from reality.”
“Until age 7 years, kids don’t really understand the immutability of the sexes,” Van Meter <a href="https://www.thecollegefix.com/uminn-scholars-launching-transgender-doll-project-for-4-year-olds/">told</a> the College Fix, adding that gender dysphoria is “emotional trauma caused by ideologues as parents or teachers or counselors.”
A university spokesperson told The Post that no public funds were diverted “to support MyGender Dolls’ commercialization efforts,” but refused to mention whether taxpayer funds went into either the research and development of the dolls or to the salaries of the professors who worked on the project.

university-minnesota-medical-school-launching-135407417

Trans Dolls With Removable Genitals Will Be Used To Teach 4-Year-Olds

Education

grooming

University of Minnesota

The Shiloh Hendrix Verdict Is A Horrifying Sign For America. Here’s Why.

Implicit Bias

A Minnesota jury found a woman guilty of disorderly conduct after she repeatedly used the racial slur &#8220;n*gger&#8221; during a confrontation at a playground. 
Thirty-seven-year-old Shiloh Marie Hendrix was captured on video as a bystander confronted her for allegedly directing the racial slur at an autistic child. Although the alleged remark itself was not captured on video, the bystander urged Hendrix to repeat it while recording the encounter.
Rochester City Attorney Michael Spindler-Krage charged Hendrix with two counts of disorderly conduct, one for her alleged behavior toward the child and the other for her confrontation with the bystander. A jury acquitted Hendrix on the first count but convicted her on the second, finding her guilty of disorderly conduct for directing the racial slur at Omar rather than the child. 
She was sentenced to one year of supervised probation, fined $1,000, and ordered to complete 200 hours of community service. She faces a 90-day jail sentence only if she violates the terms of her probation.
The man who recorded the confrontation, Sharmake Beyle Omar, was previously charged in a sexual assault case involving a 16-year-old girl. Prosecutors later <a href="https://www.kimt.com/news/charges-dropped-against-rochester-men-accused-of-sexually-abusing-a-teen-victim/article_461bf354-a3ff-11ed-bedb-d329b9d4dcb6.html">dismissed</a> those charges &#8220;in the interest of justice.&#8221; 
According to the criminal <a href="https://fromthegman.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Hendrix-Complaint.pdf">complaint</a>, the confrontation began after an eight-year-old autistic boy took an applesauce pouch from Hendrix’s diaper bag. Both Hendrix and the boy’s father chased the child as he climbed onto playground equipment in an attempt to get away. Hendrix allegedly shouted at him and repeatedly used the racial slur. 
While recording on his phone, Omar asked Hendrix why she called the child the racial slur, noting that the boy was autistic. Hendrix replied that she used the word because “he acts like one” and said he had taken her son’s belongings. When Omar continued confronting her, Hendrix responded, “I don’t give a sh*t and f*ck off.” 
Hendrix’s attorney blasted the verdict.
“I think it’s pathetic,” defense attorney Brian Karalus <a href="https://x.com/Tomhennessey69/status/2080543001323978782">said</a>. “I think it’s sad. I think it’s sick … this is a fraud upon the community.” 
Karalus argued the government was “prosecuting a young lady for language,” and this trial was the result of cancel culture. He added that Hendrix’s choice of words was inappropriate but that there is a difference between inappropriate and illegal. 
Prosecutor Nicholas Shabel argued jurors should consider both Hendrix’s conduct and her language.  
Shabel argued that Hendrix&#8217;s “screaming at the child, her demeanor, her language all speak to this. All of those are appropriate for your consideration,” said Shabel.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) set up a GoFundMe for the child, raising more than $340,000. 
The incident drew backlash from conservatives. 
The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh <a href="https://x.com/MattWalshBlog/status/2080623002824200284">said</a>, “The Shiloh Hendrix case isn&#8217;t even a close call or a grey area. She was charged and convicted of a crime for saying a word. If that&#8217;s not a violation of the First Amendment, nothing is. This is one of the most straightforward free speech issues we&#8217;ve seen in a long time.”

Screenshot 2026-07-24 at 3.59.23 PM

Playground Slur Case Takes Dark Turn For Free Speech

child

Court

Jail

language

Matt Walsh

Race

Racial Discrimination

U.S.

One of the largest fraud scandals in Minnesota may involve the family of Ilhan Omar.
The far-left congresswoman&#8217;s sister used the address of a woman who was business partners with several major convicts in the &#8220;Feeding Our Future&#8221; scandal, a Daily Wire investigation found.
The federal meals scandal is described as the largest public theft in Minnesota history. The statehouse&#8217;s House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee is probing the Somali-born congresswoman&#8217;s involvement in the scandal, but Democrats in May <a href="https://www.house.mn.gov/sessiondaily/Story/19152" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blocked</a> a subpoena that would require Omar to produce records.
Public records in the state, however, may tie Omar&#8217;s sister, Sahra Noor, to the operation. Noor has run several businesses in the region, including the People&#8217;s Center Clinics &amp; Services in the Somali neighborhood of Minneapolis, which controversially received a <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/03/12/exposed-ilhan-omars-ties-to-sisters-minneapolis-health-clinic-somali-health-company-and-alleged-brother-husband/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$2 million earmark</a> while her sister was a state representative.
Noor went on to found a group called Grit Partners Consulting, and publicly <a href="https://www.sahranoor.com/grit-partners/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> her company &#8220;has secured more than $20 million in funding for health initiatives&#8221;  and has &#8220;consulted on projects backed by&#8221; federal health agencies such as USAID and the Center for Disease Control.
Grit Partners was incorporated at a home on Hyacinth Ave. in Lakeville, Minnesota. That address, and the woman who lives there, are lynchpins tying together at least three Feeding Our Future convicts, The Daily Wire found.
<div id="attachment_1142613" style="width: 972px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1142613" class="size-full wp-image-1142613" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/noor-book.jpg" alt="" width="962" height="484" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/noor-book.jpg 962w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/noor-book-300x151.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/noor-book-768x386.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 962px) 100vw, 962px" />sahranoor.com</div>
The Hyacinth Ave. home is occupied by Mashah Ahmed Ali and his wife Ister (a.k.a. Ismahan) Ahmed Afraa. According to incorporation records, Afraa opened a company called Sunrise Business Center, Inc. alongside <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/media/1255296/dl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hanna Marekegn</a>.
Marekegn is directly involved in the fraud scandal, pleading guilty in 2022 to wire fraud for stealing $7 million.
Marekegn claimed to be feeding 4,000 poor children a day. Instead she bought a <a href="https://alphanews.org/scoop-marble-filled-mansion-once-owned-by-feeding-our-future-fraudster-hits-the-market-for-2-1-million/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mansion</a> for herself, claiming she embodied the “American Dream.” Marekegn testified under oath that she falsely alleged racism to manipulate Minnesota bureaucrats to look the other way at red flags.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1142611" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/marakegn-linkedin.jpg" alt="" width="786" height="519" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/marakegn-linkedin.jpg 786w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/marakegn-linkedin-300x198.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/marakegn-linkedin-768x507.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 786px) 100vw, 786px" /></div>
Afraa, who worked with Marekegn, also incorporated Sunshine Care Center MN, Inc., which claimed the same office address as Sunrise Business Center. On LinkedIn, Marekegn listed her <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanna-marekegn-2867bb12b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">employer</a> as Sunshine Care Center at that address.
Afraa is also tied to Aimee Bock, the Feeding our Future ring-leader sentenced to <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/feeding-our-future-ringleader-sentenced-500-months" target="_blank" rel="noopener">41 years</a> in prison. Minnesota Department of Health data <a href="https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/ship/support/docs/earlycare/ccfreereduced.xlsx?brid=YWdncwGti_6E0KoMeHBBoGymC5bJ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listed</a> Bock as point of contact for Sunshine Care Center LLC.
Her Hyacinth Ave. home was also the <a href="https://mblsportal.sos.mn.gov/Business/SearchDetails?filingGuid=40a65565-b922-e211-bc43-001ec94ffe7f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">incorporation address</a> of Diversity Childcare Center LLC, which <a href="https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/ship/support/docs/earlycare/ccfreereduced.xlsx?brid=YWdncwGti_6E0KoMeHBBoGymC5bJ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listed</a> Bock as point of contact.
<div id="attachment_1142603" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1142603" class="size-large wp-image-1142603" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-1425603997-Aimee-Bock-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-1425603997-Aimee-Bock-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-1425603997-Aimee-Bock-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-1425603997-Aimee-Bock-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-1425603997-Aimee-Bock.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Aimee Bock, the executive director of the nonprofit Feeding Our Future (Photo by Shari L. Gross/Star Tribune via Getty Images)</div>
According to state investigative documents, Bock said the head of Sunshine Care Center MN, who is not named in the documents, was brought to Feeding Our Future by a woman named Sahra Nur, a key player in Feeding Our Future who was sentenced to <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/minneapolis-woman-sentenced-51-months-prison-role-feeding-our-future-250-million-fraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener">four years in prison</a>, and to whom Afraa is closely tied.
Afraa was CEO of Aflah Property Inc., which operated out of Nur&#8217;s home on Fordham Ct NE. Afraa had a $30,000 state tax lien placed against her in April 2025, listing the Fordham home as the address.
Nur&#8217;s home on Fordham Ct. was ground zero for Feeding Our Future, being used by at least 17 different companies, most of them designed to bill the government or launder profits.
Nur was an owner of S &amp; S Catering, which claimed to have made more than eight million meals. It enabled the fraud of the various Feeding Our Future nonprofits by giving them fake invoices so they could tell the government they spent money purchasing meals. The government reimbursed more than $12 million as a result, according to Nur’s <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mnd.203041/gov.uscourts.mnd.203041.1.0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indictment</a> and <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mnd.203042/gov.uscourts.mnd.203042.160.0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">guilty plea</a>.
Nur’s home was also used to set up some of those nonprofits, like the Academy for Youth Excellence, which allegedly stole $3.5 million in federal funds.
It also housed Golis Properties LLC, which allegedly stole $3.9 million from taxpayers and used $2.5 million in stolen funds to buy an entire block on East Lake Street.
Nur ran Kulmiye Management LLC, while Afraa, the woman connected to Omar’s sister, was an executive in Kulmiye Property LLC.
Afraa bought a property directly across the street from one that was forfeited to the government, 2529 12th Avenue South, for being purchased with stolen funds.
For Omar, a scandal involving siblings is nothing new. Since her first entry into the national political scene, she has been dogged by reporting on her marriage to a Somalian man who is widely believed to be her brother. That marriage was almost certainly not done for romantic reasons — he was a foreign national, and during her marriage to him, she married another man who is the father of her children. Omar has since divorced that second husband to marry her one-time political consultant, Tim Mynett.
Reporting shows that Omar&#8217;s sister has moved back to Africa, and that her family has found itself involved directly with the Somali government.
According to <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/03/12/exposed-ilhan-omars-ties-to-sisters-minneapolis-health-clinic-somali-health-company-and-alleged-brother-husband/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Breitbart</a>, Omar&#8217;s sister left her position at the People&#8217;s Center and moved to Kenya, with her Grit Partners doing work in Africa <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260312212139/https://gritpartnersglobal.com/2023/11/18/facilitation-of-usaid-funded-projects-peer-learning-sessions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">funded</a> by the now-defunct USAID.
Her husband, Mohamed Keynan, worked for the Minnesota Department of Human Services, but after going back to Africa, he has worked as chief of staff to the Somali Prime Minister and policy advisor to Somalia&#8217;s president, Breitbart said.
The husband is also known as Mohamed Ali, the same last name as the owner of the Hyacinth home where Noor incorporated Grit Partners, Mashah Ahmed Ali. The latter created two companies: Pro Transit Allies LLC, seemingly a Medicaid transportation company; and Puntland Transport LLC. Puntland is an area of Somalia for which Mohamed Keynan – Ilhan Omar’s brother-in-law – is a <a href="https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/ilhans-country" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fierce advocate</a>.
In a phone call with The Daily Wire, Mashah Ahmed Ali claimed to have never heard of any of the companies registered to his home or by his wife, saying someone must have created them without his knowledge. “There must be some sort of scam going on, I have no idea,” he said.
“For the last 10 years I have a professional job, I have nothing to do with anything,” he said.
Asked if his wife Afraa might be the person who knows about the companies in her name, he refused to provide her number. Afraa did not reply to a text sent to a number associated with her.
Noor, who has written a <a href="https://www.sahranoor.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">book</a> scheduled for release next month, did not return a request for comment.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1142619" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/feeding-our-future-network-651x576.jpg" alt="" width="651" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/feeding-our-future-network-651x576.jpg 651w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/feeding-our-future-network-300x265.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/feeding-our-future-network-768x680.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/feeding-our-future-network.jpg 1494w" sizes=" (max-width: 651px) 100vw, 651px" /></div>

Ilhan Omar

Ilhan Omar’s Sister Linked To Central Figures In Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal

Feeding Our Future

Somalia

Assassin Vance Boelter was sentenced Thursday to two consecutive life sentences without parole for murdering former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman (D) and her husband, Mark, and wounding state Sen. John Hoffman (D) and his wife, Yvette, in what prosecutors called a politically motivated attack. 
Boelter was convicted on six federal charges stemming from the murders of the Hortmans and the shooting of the Hoffmans, as well as the attempted shooting of the couple&#8217;s daughter, Hope, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/vance-boelter-indicted-murders-melissa-and-mark-hortman-%20shootings-john-and-yvette-0">according</a> to the Department of Justice. 
At Thursday&#8217;s sentencing hearing, Colin and Sophie Hortman, the children of Melissa and Mark Hortman, described how their lives had been shattered by the murders.  
“In one night, our family went from whole to shattered,” Colin <a href="https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/vance-boelter-to-be-sentenced-for-lawmaker-attacks-is-expected-to-receive-over-2-life-sentences/">said</a>, describing his parents as “the best” a child could ask for.
“My mom will never bake me another cake … She was supposed to bake my wedding cake. That was the one wish that I had,” Colin said. “They would have been the best grandparents. They will never meet my children. They would have traveled more, they would have mentored more leaders.”
Sophie Hortman also spoke about the trauma of losing her parents.
 “What I cared about was that my entire life had just been shattered in 30 seconds … We had to stand up and keep going,” she said.
Boelter <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/vance-boelter-sentencing-man-killed-minnesota-democratic-lawmaker-face-rcna588852">apologized</a> in court to the Hortman family and his other victims. 
“To every person I have caused loss, pain, heartache, confusion, sadness, shame, or loneliness, I am truly sorry,” he said.
According to court documents, Boelter researched the homes and routines of top Democratic lawmakers before embarking on what prosecutors described as a &#8220;murderous rampage” while disguised as a police officer conducting wellness checks.
In addition to targeting the Hortmans and the Hoffmans, Boelter also went to the homes of Rep. Kristin Bahner and Sen. Ann Rest, both Democrats, but neither answered the door.
A two-day manhunt ended with Boelter&#8217;s arrest near his family home in Green Isle, Minnesota.
Officers found a list of 45 Democratic state officials and their addresses in his car, along with “No Kings” protest signs in the back of his car. Authorities have said Boelter was not a supporter of the demonstrators and had told family members before the shootings to “pray that something takes the wind out of these protests’ sails.” 
Prosecutors argued Boelter carried out the attacks in an effort to tip  Minnesota’s “delicate” balance of power in Republicans’ favor, KTSP news <a href="https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/an-attack-on-representative-democracy-itself-filing-details-boelters-motives-for-night-of-terror/">reported</a>. They noted that the state House was evenly split 67-67 while Democrats held a one-seat Senate majority. Had Boelter succeeded in killing all four Democratic lawmakers he targeted, prosecutors argued, “the inevitable result would be a shift in the balance of power in both legislative houses.”  

In addition to his federal conviction, Boelter still faces multiple state charges, including two counts of murder, four counts of attempted murder, impersonating a police officer, and animal cruelty for allegedly killing the Hortmans&#8217; golden retriever, Gilbert.  

Boelter also previously served on Minnesota&#8217;s Workforce Development Board after being appointed by Democratic Gov. Tim Walz. Walz has said he did not know Boelter personally, with his office noting that the board has more than 60 members and that governors do not personally interview applicants for such positions. 
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