A significant welfare fraud case involving a Somali community in Minnesota has gained so much attention that even the New York Times felt compelled to report on it.
It’s a troubling situation. This case reflects poorly on the government, particularly under Democratic leadership, while also raising questions about immigration policies that sometimes seem to favor groups that resist integration, and occasionally even harbor anti-American views. It also calls into question the effectiveness of Governor Tim Walz.
For years, a network primarily composed of Somali refugees in Minnesota orchestrated a large-scale theft from state funds, leading to embarrassment for Democratic leaders and shedding light on the ongoing corruption within welfare programs. Employees from the Minnesota Department of Human Services reportedly shared their views anonymously, attributing the failures to Walz, who was running alongside Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024. They stated, “Tim Walz is 100% responsible for the massive fraud in Minnesota.”
Minnesota government official accuses Walz of ‘massive fraud’ amid allegations against Somali community
It’s no surprise that the liberal media has mostly stayed quiet about this long-running scandal, which the Times deemed “astonishing in its scope and brazenness.” It’s estimated that over $1 billion in taxpayer money has been lost—an amount equivalent to Minnesota’s annual spending on its Department of Corrections.
Perhaps the Times felt pressure to address the issue after a recent article in the City Journal by Ryan Thorpe and Christopher Rufo suggested that some of the stolen welfare money was funneled to the Somali terrorist group al-Shabaab. The Times rebutted this claim, stating, “There’s no hard evidence to support that. And none of the federal fraud cases feature a connection to terrorism,” while Rufo and Thorpe maintain a differing stance, citing informal sources.
Former President Donald Trump also weighed in, condemning the welfare fraud on Truth Social and labeling Minnesota under Walz as a hub for illicit activities. Trump suggested that Somali gangs are causing turmoil in the community and called for a significant policy change, including lifting Temporary Protected Status for Somalis living in Minnesota.
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This state houses around 76,000 Somali individuals, many of whom received temporary protection during the Somali civil war of the 1990s. However, current enrollment in the Temporary Protected Status program is low, with only 705 individuals participating.
The investigation into the scandal, initially dismissed as a minor issue, has been ongoing since early in the pandemic. To date, federal authorities have charged 86 individuals with felonies, with 59 guilty verdicts; the majority are Somali nationals.
Several deceptive schemes emerged to exploit Minnesota’s welfare system. One was centered around a program called “Feeding Our Future,” which claimed to serve numerous children but instead submitted fraudulent reimbursement claims, ultimately securing about $200 million in funding during 2021.
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Another scheme involved manipulating federally-funded health benefits from the state’s Housing Stability Services initiative, designed to assist older adults and individuals with mental health issues in securing housing. Scammers targeted potential beneficiaries to submit fake claims on their behalf, causing costs to soar from an expected $2.6 million to a staggering $104 million in one year.
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While announcing charges against eight individuals for wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson emphasized the growing crisis, noting an escalating pattern of fraud that drains resources meant for those in need. His career as a prosecutor lends weight to his claims about the extensive fraud occurring in Minnesota.
One particularly egregious case involved Asha Farhan Hassan, who exploited a healthcare program for youth with autism. She and her co-conspirators worked with parents in the Somali community to recruit children without proper diagnoses to qualify for autism services. This operation allegedly netted around $14 million, with some funds reportedly used for real estate transactions in Kenya.
One has to wonder why Minnesota authorities didn’t intervene sooner. Reports suggest they were wary of alienating the Somali community, which holds significant political sway. As one local official stated, “If you can’t win the Somali community, you can’t win Minneapolis. And if you can’t win Minneapolis, you can’t win the state. End of story.”
When officials raised concerns about Feeding Our Future’s rapid growth in 2020, the scammers responded with a lawsuit claiming racial discrimination.
This is not the first time Democrats have ignored abuses of a generous welfare program.
In addition to issues tied to welfare fraud, some Democratic-run states have shown reluctance to provide information on food stamps and Social Security benefits, hindering federal investigations into alleged fraud. That is indeed troubling.
Hopefully, these revelations will spur taxpayers to demand better accountability, and perhaps even deny Walz a third term as governor.
