Dozens of Somali immigrants are involved in the largest COVID-19 fraud case in the United States, which saw the fraudsters net over $250 million in Governor Tim Walz’s Minnesota. A total of 47 Somali immigrants in Minneapolis, Minnesota, stand accused of embezzling $250 million in federal aid in the North Star State, run by Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’s running mate. He has previously praised the Somali community in Minnesota, arguing they contribute to the state culturally and demographically.
The Feeding Our Future organization misappropriated funds intended for children and families affected by the pandemic, diverting them towards personal luxuries, real estate, and other non-essential purchases. State auditors released 16 separate reports highlighting a pattern of fraud under Governor Walz’s administration. Criticism has emerged over the Minnesota Department of Education’s oversight failures, with audits indicating officials ignored warning signs and vulnerabilities facilitating the fraud.
Governor Walz claimed that the fraud had been detected early and credited his administration for initiating corrective measures and prosecutions. However, Republican House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth questioned why no one from Walz’s team had faced any consequences despite numerous negative audit findings.
“When he is not holding any commissioners responsible, then yes, Gov. Walz is responsible for the fraud that has been ongoing in the state of Minnesota,” she argues.
A state audit pointed to a “culture of unaccountability” within agencies led by Walz’s appointees. Additionally, a judge recently admonished Walz for making misleading statements regarding the state’s handling of the scandal, potentially inflaming the ongoing legal proceedings related to Feeding Our Future.
The Governor and his officials have also been accused of “cooking the books” regarding teachers’ pensions, and hiding the extent of fees paid to Wall Street fund managers.
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