Every day, it seems, the American people are learning more about how much they have been victimized and defrauded by the country’s broken immigration and welfare systems.
In the latest shocking development, City Journal’s Chris Rufo reported this week that Somali migrants in Minneapolis have stolen “millions of dollars” in welfare funds, which have then “been sent back to Somalia, where they ultimately landed in the hands of the terror group Al-Shabaab.” As one source told Rufo, “The largest funder of Al-Shabaab is the Minnesota taxpayer.”
The scale of the fraud that Rufo describes is staggering – and it has all apparently come to light only thanks to the Trump administration finally looking into the matter. The Minnesota government, under the leadership of failed vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz, has allowed the massive theft to metastasize for years unabated.
One of the most heinous scams used fake autism diagnoses to fleece Medicaid for hundreds of millions of dollars. Here’s how it works: First, fraudsters set up fake autism treatment centers; then, they “recruit” Somali parents to enroll their children in the centers (even if the children don’t have autism, the fraudsters supply a fake diagnosis); finally, the fraudsters collect Medicaid payouts for children with autism – and give parents kickbacks of up to $1,500 per month.
As a result, “autism claims to Medicaid in Minnesota have skyrocketed in recent years – from $3 million in 2018… to $399 million in 2023.” Even more damningly, “By the time the fraud scheme was exposed, one in 16 Somali four-year-olds in the state had reportedly been diagnosed with autism – a rate more than triple the state average.”
The largest single scam that law enforcement officials have uncovered involves Feeding Our Future, “a small Minnesota nonprofit that sponsored daycares and after-school programs to enroll in the Federal Child Nutrition Program.” Most of the groups that received money from Feeding Our Future were run by members of the Minnesota Somali community.
Before the pandemic, Feeding Our Future received about $3.4 million in federal funding. But then, after the pandemic began, the group began using fake meal counts and invoices to collect exponentially more funds – to the tune of $200 million in 2021 alone.
That money was then used “to fund lavish lifestyles, purchase luxury vehicles, and buy real estate in the United States, Turkey, and Kenya.” Several individuals implicated in the scam notably “donated to, or appeared publicly with, Ilhan Omar, the Somali-born congresswoman from Minneapolis,” while failed mayoral candidate Omar Fateh, also Somali, “lobbied Governor Tim Walz in support of the program.”
In yet another massive fraud web, at least a half dozen members of the Minneapolis Somali community have been charged with setting up fake companies to take advantage of the state’s Medicaid Housing Stabilization Services (HSS) program. HSS is supposed to provide housing assistance to those in need, and officials estimated it would cost around $2.6 million annually.
But costs “quickly spiraled out of control” – $21 million in 2021, $42 million in 2022, $74 million in 2023, and an eye-popping $104 million in 2024. That money was going to “purely fictitious companies solely created to defraud the system.”
But it didn’t stop with the Somalis in America. As Rufo reports, huge amounts of it went back to Somalia – to the point where remittances from the United States are now a sizable portion of the Somali economy. An astonishing 40 percent of households in Somalia receive remittances from abroad, and “in 2023 alone, the Somali diaspora sent back $1.7 billion – more than the Somali government’s budget for that year.”
It would be one thing if that money was earned through legitimate economic endeavors. But it wasn’t. Most of it was outright stolen from taxpayers, a theft enabled by Democrat leaders who were either too incompetent to realize it or complicit in the crimes (perhaps a little of both). There is effectively no way to get that money back.
Even more outrageously, Rufo’s report reveals for the first time that some of the money Somalis stole from American taxpayers went directly into the pockets of Al-Shabaab, a terrorist group linked to Al Qaeda.
“Every scrap of economic activity, in the Twin Cities, in America, throughout Western Europe, anywhere Somalis are concentrated, every cent that is sent back to Somalia benefits Al-Shabaab in some way,” a former government official told Rufo. “For every dollar that is transferred from the Twin Cities back to Somalia, Al-Shabaab is… taking a cut of it.”
It is likely that none of this would have been revealed had Donald Trump not won re-election last November and filled the U.S. Attorney’s offices in Minnesota with lawyers actually interested in investigating and prosecuting crimes. The fact that the fraud was allowed to grow to the scale that it did before any arrests were made is an indictment on the Biden administration, Tim Walz, and every Democrat who runs Minnesota.
But the most shocking fact of all may be that this report is only the tip of the iceberg. In the weeks and months ahead, Americans are likely to learn even more about just how much they are being robbed and ripped off.
Shane Harris is the Editor in Chief of AMAC Newsline. You can follow him on X @shaneharris513.
I totally believe that the government should NOT give any money to non profits. NONE. That includes all religious organizations. If they can’t make it on donations, so be it. All this theft must stop. Those responsible for this fraud belong in JAIL, not this house arrest or probation nonsense. This country needs to get its shit together.
The big question is “Will anyone be prosecuted for this fraud, waste and abuse of the taxpayer’s money?”. The MN governor and his crooks should be at the top as well as the Somali operations within the USA. Also, get money back from Somali for their deception. At this point, the abuse is being found out but will anything truly happen from the point of justice.
America is being sucked dry by the parasites of the world. No wonder we are $38 trillion in debt.
“We the People” have had enough of this wast fraud and abuse No one is held accountable Disgusting despicable waste! For the People that go to work every and are being ripped off by the corrupt government
Now this article is worth publishing.
I like that Ilhan Omar is connected to these scams in some manner. Let’s ship her over there and see how long she survives. She is probably getting wealthier every day here in our congress while the middle class scrapes by.
Thank you Shane Harris for that article. Truth be told.
The Somalis now in America were given sanctuary during a time of civil war in their country, yet their appreciation has been on display by importing their basic religious beliefs as their guiding principles, rather than attempting to assimilate into the nation which saved them. They are Muslims. They will never assimilate into a foreign culture. Instead, they will always work to violently replace it. They must be forcefully invited to return to their homeland. Take Ilhan with them.
What do you expect from the same group of people who commit piracy on the high seas?
Anyone surprised by Tampon Tim’s Terror Tootsie Roll? A guy completely in love with a regime that terrorizes its own citizens and rules by fear and slaughters its prisoners for organ parts of course has no problems with a little welfare out of taxpayers’ wallets for some of their favorite terror groups. Red and green are not just colors for Christmas democrats celebrate them as the colors of their Islamo-Marxist coalition and axis of terror against all Western nations.
Praise for you for writing this article Shane. This information is appreciated , should be appreciated by all Freedom – loving American citizens. Good work President Trump for doing positive things that involve looking at systems not being responsible in their duties . Born in Philadelphia 75 years ago I developed a sincere respect for the Declaration of Independence by the time I started high school in 1964.. Mentioning that fact as I do believe that this AMAC forum is something of great importance and it makes for having a better understanding of what someone writes if something about their history is presented along with the opinion written about.. This attack on this Nation ,this fraudulent funding of terrorist groups is about as serious as it gets. And to have it explained as you did in this article will help to fix what needs to be fixed.God bless America, land of the free,home of the brave.
I THINK ALL FEDERAL WELFARE PROGRAMS SHOULD BE DEFUNDED AND SHUT DDOWN.
WELFARE OF ANY KIND SHOULD BE HANDLED AT THE VERY LOCAL LEVEL BECAUSE LOCAL WORKERS WOULD HAVE A MUH BETTER IDEA OF WHO NEEDS HELP OR THOSE CHEATING THE WELFARE SYSTEM AND STEALING TAXPAYERS MONEY.
ANYONE CAUGHT CHEATING (STEALING) WWELFARE PROGRAMS SHOULD BE JAILED FOR ATLEAST 5 OR MORE YEARS.
WE TAXPAYERS ARE BEING FLEECED BY FRAUDULENT DEMANDS FOR WELFARE.
All of this has been going on right under Tampon Tim’s nose. (Maybe he was too busy trying to learn how to use that shotgun and look manly.) An unbelievable number of little kids were supposedly diagnosed with autism and that didn’t cause anyone in state government to suspect a rip-off. Incredible!
Because our taxpayer dollars have funded terrorist groups, those found guilty and those with any involvement should be put to death. After all, that is what they are funding for, for the terrorist group to kill us Americans.
Anyone involved, including all parents receiving kickbacks, and ALL Samalia politicians at ANY AND ALL LEVELS, (INCLUDING SCHOOL BOARDS, CITY COUNCILS, ETC) GET DEPORTED IMMEDIATELY and their stolen monies get confiscated, DUMBA$$ Tampon Timmie must pay back every penny already spent or sent back to Samalia by these demons or he gets life in prison.
Then Trump orders Hegseth to seek and COMPLETELY DESTROY Al-Shabaab, it’s members, cells, training camps, donors, etc, and then confiscate all weapons, vehicles, monies if this terrorist organization.
Then Trump gives a FOLLOW-ON ORDER to seek out every Antifa member, cell, hideout, training camp, etc., to include ANYONE FUNDING THEM, and DESTROY THEM TOO. This includes the two college professors who fled the US. Then immediately cut off ALL FUNDING, PERMANENTLY to the universities that employ them.
And finally, for this first round, arrest indict, try, convict and give life sentences (or execution, their choice) to the treasonous Congressional bastards telling our military to commit treason. (Any judge attempting to stop it, gets removed from the bench, deported and loses his/her citizenship.
This would be a serious wake up call to ALL AMERICA-HATING ENEMIES, BOTH FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC, THAT WANT TO DESTROY THIS COUNTRY.
IT’S WAY PAST TIME TO BYPASS AND IGNORE THE LILLIE-WHITE SPINELESS DEMORAT AND RINO APPEASERS, AND FIGHT OUR ENEMIE’S FIRE WITH A PATRIOTIC INFERNO.
These are the same people who keep Omar in office. She represents Somalia, not the U.S. district where she supposedly lives and she herself is a fraud, a model of how to scam the United States and create chaos. When Obama brought thousands of Somalis to the U.S., he insured they would be a voting bloc by putting them ll in the same place, MN. Obama is the worst thing to happen to our country and yet he has millions adoring his sleazy self. This should be a lesson to our government to thoroughly investigate ALL NGOs and to severely cut back on funding any of them. If they are non-government, they should never by funded by government. Keep them self-supporting and apart. Many are UN patsies and do terrible things.
Muslims-all from third world countries. The US citizens should be fed up with offering help and generosity to these people. I feel that what is inherited with these people will remain!
And the democrats are screaming and blowing their whistles don’t deport them back to their native country especially not the criminals to Somalia. The courts are stopping the deportations. Because all this fraud is working to bankrupt America and its people. There is so much stink and the brainless Tampon Timmies and Tinas running the democrats are all in on the stink. Just as Elon saw how the NGO’s were funneling money back to the democrat leaders and wasn’t believed this won’t even get a mention on the MSM or a newspaper. It has no sex in it. Epstein files won’t show anything about Trump but they are using it to set up hoaxes like Crockett did with her Epstein donated to democrats story, only it was not The Epstein. She knew it and still ran with it. Tampon Timmy has allowed this to happen because Somalians are preferred over American Citizens. This is the tip of the iceberg, fraud is rampant in and under the democrat leadership. We all know the big wigs that are involved. A party that raises 2 billion dollars for a presidential candidate has some baggage and is beholden to big money.
absolutely unbelievable. Thanks Shane. Go on the View!!
Again more fraud and theft of the Democrats is uncovered!! If none of these fraudulent programs had been formed to bilk the taxpayers, we would not have an unsteady economy in this country! We MUST stop these evil radical liberals from stealing from the taxpayers and we MUST keep all of these foreign groups OUT OF the USA!!! They only want to take our money, commit crimes against our citizens and eventually take over our government. Evil among us is healthy and growing because of O’Bama and the Biden cabal. When did any of the Democrats in Congress do anything productive for this country??? It must have been decades ago.
America will fall from within. Corruption at the highest levels. What other country would allow foreigners to sit in their government and direct laws to change the culture of one’s country ? Too bad the hundreds of millions of people who enjoy their professional sports daily would have as much passion on the political awareness about the country we all live in. Everyone should take as much time to hold our representatives accountable. Has anyone ever wondered why the leftist has harassed Trump all these years ? ACCOUNTABILITY. Sheeple will eventually be the first to go and will just fall into line. Oh, don’t forget to smile !
An investigation into Time Watz and other Minnesota’s campaign finances would be interesting. Somali money involvement would probably be a pretty safe bet.
That human maggot Keith Ellison should also be investigated, he sponsored all these Somali thieves
I have been working for four and a half years to get my autistic son some help from DDA. We received a letter yesterday from them that states, “you meet the criteria for DDA individual Support Services.” It goes on to say “THERE IS CURRENTLY NO FUNDING FOR NEW APPLICANTS.” At least I now know where the money is going that should be going to help my son. Now I have the answer to the question, “Where is the money going” that we all have been asking about since Trump took office. Pretty sad situation.
DIMMs facilitate crooks? How surprising [NOT]! Wonder how much money flows back to the DNC and MN DCC? A hundred-fold increase in 5 years is IMPOSSIBLE in reality. Let Tampon Tim give his terrorist buddies money out of his own pocket!
Can we defund then?? or state fund IE MN
This is another great reason to ban isslime I. Our nation, remove all Muslims and ban any Muslim from entering our nation!
just freaking sad.
I hope all involved are prosecuted and as a result sent back to their home country. Sorry to see that this money will never be recovered, so send these people back to their own country with bills for how much each should send to the U.S. government!
I believe this is part of the reason for the Democrats shutdown EXTORTION attempt. They are wanting to continue throwing billions at this failed program. I wonder how many Schumer’s and Pelosi’s have profited from this , not to mention the militant leader Jaukeem Jeffries that followed Chuck Schumer around making sure he said the correct lies.
GO MAGA
Minnesota. Home of Tampon-Tim Walz. Congre$$man Ilhan Omar, proud Somalian. And she’ll tell you that…loudly and proudly. So, do NOT expect much of a change in any of this.
You can NOT make this stuff up. No one would believe you.
IF THERE’S THIS ONE, THEY’RES MORE!!!!!!!!!!
When are all of this and other scam programs going to be cut off. How can our officials just give away these big bucks without thorough and honest evaluation prior to enrolling and then again at meaningful intervals. I suspect even state and federal voting records and processes in these states are also full of fraud.
How could anyone overseeing any government “program” not notice a 1000 +% increase and not look into it for 5 years? Those people need to be investigated as well and prosecuted including every fucking person involved! Right down to the guardians of these kids, and including the kids if they were aware of it and went along with it! Once prosecuted deport them and never ever allow them into the USA again!
Okay, this is one of the most DISCUSSING THING THAT HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO HAPPEN!!!! ???? ???? WHOMEVER IS INVOLVED NEEDS TO HBE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, AND NOT JUST SWEPT UNDER THE DEMORATS RUGBRING ALL OF THIS INFORMATION TO FOX THEY’LL SEND THE REAL TRUTH OUT TO AMERICANS THIS IS BEYOND F’D UPWE ALL WORK HARD FOR OUR MONEY, WE GET UP EVERY MORNING AND GO TO WORK!!THERE’S A LOT MORE I CAN SAY, BUT I HAVE TO GET BACK TO WORK!!THESE PEOPLE NEED TO GO TO JAIL, SINCE WE CAN GET ALL THAT MONEY BACK,MAKE ALL THIS PUBLIC
All while homeless American numbers keep rising. And parents go with out eating so they can feed the kids. Every inch of this country should be required to put Americans first. The Governors that refuse to put Americans first should be arrested.
WOW!!! How despicable, how cunning… Unfortunately, complicit and stupid Americans are to facilitate such treasonous behavior. My God, how Obama set us up for disaster when he imported so many to America. Thank God for President Trump.
we are funding everything because politicians get kickbacks from every penny that goes out how do you think they get rich
Deport all of them! Don’t forget Ilan Omar…she needs to go too!
Does anybody REALLY believe any of the named politicians in this article aren’t getting a nice piece of that pie??!!?? Plain money laundering with OUR tax dollars.
We have to stop letting this minority trash from third world sewer countries into the USA. They know every way possible to scam the USA and they sponge off of the working middle class. Time has come to put strict laws into place so we can restrict these useless minority parasites from coming into America.
It’s getting to the point where there is so much fraud, we just need to stop giving money to groups. I know this is gonna be hard on some, but the fraud is so deep!!
Not a mention of anybody going to jail in the whole article. Again no repercussions for wrong doing. When is there going be serious consequences for the people that rob, hurt, and slander us and our country? We seem to simply just report it as if will shame them. These people don’t give a damn for us or our country. They’re here to push their agenda and steal money for their cause. Catch them and their organizations and either send them back to where they come from or send them to trial and off to jail.
Send the Somalians back to home country strip them of citizenship because of their terrorist ties. Good riddance. Also levy 95% tax on all remittances going out of the US. Make their underground banks illegal.
I would be willing to bet that not one Somalian scammer in Minnesota is held accountable, jailed, indicted or deported for this outrageous rip off. And it is a sure guarantee that Ilhan Omar knew about it the entire time, probably even participated in it.
Every adult Somali complicit in this scheme should be sent back to Somalia. Every American complicit should be sent to prison and then offered the opportunity to go live in Somalia.
We could almost straighten out the national debt if we could get rid of all these people whom Obama brought into the U.S.when he established them in central locations to become the voting blocs for their areas? Thanks, Obama. What is Ilhan Omar still doing in Congress? She even claims she is representing her country of Somalia! Why isn’t she impeached and deported?! It appears she is signed with these fraudsters
Is this a great country or what, where anyone with enough deceit can succeed.
By sending help, food meds and money to Africa at the beginning of the fight for “independence” from colonialist, we enabled the civil war to go on and on ,white man was out, and brother killed brother, it was all good as long as they all were black Bolshevik gave advice and guns, capitalist food and meds. All is good. UN supporting the rogues. Like “Palestinians” they are not interested in peaceful life or prosperity of the country and it’s people, that is not in the picture. Our thick heads can’t comprehend that and try to fix unfixable.
Imagine that: Tampon Tim, his boss Ilhan Omar, and colluding to defraud the federal and state governments – who’d have guessed that would happen in an out-of-control liberal s#!&hole?!
So, now that you know this information, and you have put it out there for the readers, what is to be done to fix this problem? If our government is aware, what do they plan to do? Us taxpayers out here reading this article, which I believe to be happening daily not only in Minnesota, are not in the position to go up to Minnesota to fix the problem. In fact, I know nobody that lives in Minnesota other than hearing about Walz. AMAC and Shane Harris, you being the Editor, have more power to let our government know what’s going on, if they don’t know already. Afterall, our government has their hands full now, please take a number, get in line. The kickbacks with the Somali’s appears to have been going on for many years, why wasn’t it caught in previous Administrations?