Liberal values seem to know no bounds in Minnesota. The state has become home to some controversial figures, including Rep. Ilhan Omar and Governor Tim Walz, who, let’s be honest, many probably consider an unusual choice for leadership.
According to an exclusive report, a man who overstayed his visa has recently taken on a significant position as the director of the Minnesota Department of Education. To add to the controversy, he was previously convicted of felony sexual assault.
Foreign Criminals in Minnesota
This individual, Wilson Nduli Tindi, is a 42-year-old originally from Kenya. He has worked in Minnesota since 2018, starting as an auditor before later rising to become the director of Internal Audit and Advisory Services. His career included a stint as the Chief Audit Officer for the Minnesota Department of Pollution Control.
In November 2015, just a few years before his hiring, Tindi pled guilty to fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct in a case involving allegations of an inappropriate intrusion.
Court records indicate that in November 2014, Tindi entered a woman’s residence in Minneapolis and assaulted another woman asleep in the unit. The victim reportedly awoke to him touching her inappropriately and trying to remove her underwear, with forensic evidence linking Tindi to the scene.
When questioned, Tindi argued he had remained in his apartment all night but couldn’t explain how his fingerprints ended up in another person’s dwelling, according to court documentation.
Eventually, Tindi accepted a plea deal for sexual conduct in exchange for dropping robbery charges. He received a two-year prison sentence, which was stayed for five years, along with a requirement to register as a sex offender. Reports state that he served around 210 days in jail.
Interestingly, these wasn’t his only offense as court documents also referenced a similar incident from 2012, where another woman woke up to him inappropriately touching her. Even then, he had been accused of saying, “You like this,” when asked to stop, but he was never charged for that alleged incident.
Though these cases might be old, Tindi’s issues were far from over. Just last month, he faced arrest again for DUI after allegedly refusing to comply with a sobriety test. He was released from custody shortly after posting bail.
Tindi’s Battle Against Deportation
Tindi has seemingly tried to use various legal avenues to stay in the U.S. despite his criminal history. Documents show he entered on a B-2 visitor visa in 2005 but overstayed, leading to unsuccessful attempts at permanent residency, which was denied in 2007.
His immigration journey faced challenges when, in 2009, a judge ordered him to be removed from the country. However, that order was reversed in 2011, leading to him gaining legal permanent residency in 2014, just six months before his sexual assault conviction.
Following the conviction, his removal order resurfaced. After being held in ICE custody, Tindi appealed again, but this time his argument was that he was unaware of how his conviction would affect his immigration status.
In February 2018, a judge supported his appeal, asserting there was no evidence he posed a flight risk or threat to the community.
Mixed Reactions from Authorities
It remains unclear whether the hiring departments in Minnesota were aware of Tindi’s violent history when they brought him on board.
His LinkedIn indicates he began working with the state in September 2018, nearly four years after his sexual assault conviction, and he was appointed as Chief Auditor in December 2023.
Contact efforts made to relevant officials to inquire about Tindi’s hiring or background went unanswered.
Tindi’s profile was reportedly removed from the Minnesota Department of Education site shortly after the story broke.
Attempts to reach Tindi for comments via email have not yielded responses, nor was there any feedback from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s office regarding the situation.
