Gov. Tim Walz ‘needs to be held accountable’ after video reveals Somali aid fraud — including $4M daycare with no kids and misspelled sign
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is facing intense new criticism after charities tied to the Somali immigrant community bilked the state out of up to $9 billion in aid — including a daycare with a misspelled sign that got $4 million despite reportedly having no kids.
Republican critics say the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee “needs to be held accountable” in the wake of a mega-viral video from independent journalist Nick Shirley that exposed the naked scale of the fraud in the North Star State.
Authorities in Minnesota are accused of overseeing the “largest fraud in US history,” and allowing it to go unchecked — even thought it was reportedly happening in front of every one’s faces.
The Quality Learning Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was exposed in the viral video. X / Nick Shirley
The 42-minute video posted to X and YouTube on Friday by independent reporter Nick Shirley reveals the state of childcare centers in Minnesota. X / Nick Shirley
Shirley’s visit to the Quality Learning Center in Minneapolis revealed a misspelled sign (“Quality Learing Center”), an unlit lobby and a largely empty parking lot, according to the video.
When he tried to speak with staff at the center, he was confronted by a screaming woman who accused him of being an ICE agent.
“Don’t open up! It’s ICE!” the woman shouted repeatedly in the video, which quickly garnered around 70 million views in a matter of days.
Now, leading Republicans across the state have hit out at the Democrat authorities for falling asleep at the wheel while eye-watering fraud took place.
The Quality Learning Center alone reportedly received $4 million in taxpayer funds.
“Fraud is easy to find — if you’re willing to look for it. Many of these seemingly vacant businesses have been cited by the Walz admin for licensing violations which should have made it easy to catch and stop millions from being stolen,” Republican gubernatorial candidate Lisa Demuth posted on X.
She is running on a platform of exposing fraud in her home state.
“$4 million of hard-earned tax dollars going to an education center that can’t even spell learning correctly. Care to explain this one, Tim Walz?” Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer, a Republican, wrote on X in response.
New York Republican Congressman Mike Lawler went further, calling for people to be “arrested and prosecuted,” as well as for Walz “to be held accountable” for the scandal.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz with convicted Somali fraudster Abdul Dahir Ibrahim. Homeland Security
“Congress should hold a hearing immediately and start getting answers,” he said.
Former DOGE Secretary Elon Musk also spoke out about the controversy, warning that once more Americans learn about the alleged fraud, they “will be horrified at what your tax money is doing.”
Vice President JD Vance also addressed the Minnesota scandal although did not name the Quality Learning Center.
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-NY, demanded Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz be “held accountable.” Getty Images
“What’s happening in Minnesota is a microcosm of the immigration fraud in our system. Politicians like it because they get power. Welfare cheats like it because they get rich. But it’s a zero sum game, and they’re stealing both money and political power from Minnesotans,” he wrote in a post on X Saturday.
It follows allegations fraudsters robbed Minnesotan taxpayers of at least $1 billion public funds for programs meant to help the homeless, feed children and provide autism therapy.
Federal investigators say half of the $18 billion doled out to Minnesota since 2018 could have been stolen by fraudulent schemes — amounting to up to $9 billion in theft.
Gov. Tim Walz speaks at a get-out-the-vote rally on October 22, 2024 in Madison, Wisconsin. Getty Images
So far, 86 people have been charged in relation to these fraud scams, with 59 convicted so far.
Most of those accused of fraud come from Minnesota’s Somali community.
The Quality Learning Center has not been officially accused of wrongdoing by authorities.
