The Justice Department is sending additional prosecutors to Minnesota, which has been at the center of government fraud allegations, Attorney General Pam Bondi said.
In a move she said is aimed at protecting taxpayers and restoring accountability, Bondi told the New York Post on Tuesday that the DOJ is "dispatching a team of prosecutors to Minnesota" to reinforce federal efforts against what she described as widespread fraud in the state.
"The Department of Justice is dispatching a team of prosecutors to Minnesota to reinforce our U.S. Attorney's Office and put the perpetrators of this widespread fraud behind bars," Bondi told the Post.
"We will deliver severe consequences in Minnesota and stand ready to deploy to any other state where similar fraud schemes are robbing American taxpayers."
Minnesota has become a focal point for federal scrutiny following a string of major scandals involving government programs meant to help vulnerable Americans but allegedly exploited by organized criminal networks.
The DOJ is currently engaged in multiple active investigations tied to alleged fraud in the North Star State, including the notorious "Feeding Our Future" case, in which dozens of defendants are accused of stealing pandemic-era funds intended to feed hungry children.
Two individuals were convicted by a federal jury in March for their roles in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program.
Federal prosecutors say fraudsters instead used the money for luxury purchases and overseas transfers.
The department is also probing fraud within Minnesota's Housing Stabilization Services program, a Medicaid initiative designed to help vulnerable individuals secure housing, as well as the Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention program, which provided support for children with autism.
According to DOJ figures cited by the Post, prosecutors have charged 98 defendants in Minnesota fraud-related cases, including 85 individuals of Somali descent.
Investigators have issued more than 1,750 subpoenas, executed over 130 search warrants, and conducted over 1,000 witness interviews. Those efforts have already led to 64 convictions.
The renewed crackdown comes as online reporting has thrown additional attention on Minnesota's alleged fraud pipeline.
A video posted by independent journalist Nick Shirley went viral last month after he visited multiple day care centers and raised questions about whether some facilities were legitimate operations or fronts designed to siphon taxpayer dollars.
Federal officials say several locations highlighted in Shirley's reporting are now under active DOJ investigation, including one building linked to 13 defendants charged in fraud cases.
The Trump administration has also frozen federal child care payments to Minnesota, citing alleged widespread fraud involving Somali-run providers and what officials described as a major failure of state oversight.
Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Jim O'Neill said the administration has "turned off the money spigot" while demanding audits and launching a fraud hotline through childcare.gov for parents and whistleblowers.
The Trump administration, Bondi says, is sending a clear message that stealing from taxpayers, especially through programs meant to help children and the vulnerable, will bring federal prosecution.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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