Long have there been realistic concerns that Minnesota officials at the highest level knew about the social services fraud schemes going on in that state’s massive Somali immigrant population.
The logic is that how could billions of dollars in tax money have been turned over to fraud perpetrators without someone with high level access to the controls playing a role.
Now, Vice President JD Vance has confirmed, based on concerns documented by state employees in the administration of Gov. Tim Walz, he’s referred allegations to the new Fraud Division in the Department of Justice for investigation.
The confirmation follows a report from the House Oversight Committee that released a 205-page document claiming officials in Walz’s administration retaliated against state workers who noticed alleged fraud, and complained about it.
According to a post from the Washington Examiner, Vance confirmed, “I’ve referred these allegations to DOJ’s new Fraud Division for criminal investigation. Minnesota state officials are not above the law, and if they facilitated fraud, lied under oath about what they knew, or harassed and intimidated whistleblowers, they must face justice.”
House Oversight Committee chief James Comer, R-Ky., also said, “Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison are responsible for one of the most stunning oversight failures this Committee has ever examined.”
The congressional determination was that Walz and Ellison were aware of credible fraud concerns for years but “failed to use their authority to halt payments or remove questionable providers from government programs,” the report said..
I’ve referred these allegations to DOJ’s new Fraud Division for criminal investigation. Minnesota state officials are not above the law, and if they facilitated fraud, lied under oath about what they knew, or harassed and intimated whistleblowers, they must face justice. https://t.co/EatSBh9Gh6 pic.twitter.com/7JeFcgkTV0
— JD Vance (@JDVance) June 9, 2026
Vance was appointed to head the Trump administration’s anti-fraud work last winter.
Walz, meanwhile, claimed that the president is “weaponizing” the federal government against his state.
Experts predict taxpayers lost billions of dollars to fraud in Minnesota’s social service services, such as daycare.
