Response to Child Care Fraud Claims in Minnesota

On Monday, the Secretary of the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families addressed a viral video that accused the state of child care fraud.

This widely shared video features Conservative YouTuber Nick Shirley, who highlights potential fraud involving taxpayer-funded businesses owned by Somali nationals. Among the exposed locations is a seemingly empty daycare in Minneapolis, which had a sign with misspelled words, specifically “Quality Learning Center.” Commissioner Tikki Brown mentioned to local news reports, including NBC affiliates, that “there are ongoing investigations at several of these centers,” but emphasized that “none of those investigations have found any wrongdoing.”

“While we have questions about some of the methods used in the video, we take very seriously the concerns it raises regarding fraud,” Brown reportedly stated. She noted that investigations are indeed active at some centers, but so far, there has been no evidence of fraud.

In a related context, FBI Director Kash Patel acknowledged the allegations circulating on social media and reassured that the FBI had already increased its personnel and resources in Minnesota, aiming to dismantle what they perceive as a large fraud scheme.

Brown also informed that inspectors had visited the daycare featured in Shirley’s video on Monday, checking to ensure that children were present. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is inspecting other businesses in Minneapolis.

As per KARE 11, there are currently 55 active investigations concerning child care assistance programs within the department.

Shirley’s video, which has garnered over 120 million views on X, has captured attention from notable figures, including FBI Director Kash Patel, White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt, and Attorney General Pam Bondi.