Minnesota has gone from the land of 10,000 lakes to the land of billion-dollar frauds — and Gov. Tim Walz (D), who has presided over one massive scheme after another, is starting to look like the kingpin presiding over it all.
Recent reports reveal that Minnesota has been hit with staggering levels of taxpayer-funded fraud under Tim Walz’s watch — much of it allegedly carried out by individuals within the state’s large Somali community.
Still reeling from the $250 million Feeding Our Future scandal, Minnesota was hit again when City Journal uncovered yet another layer of wrongdoing: Somalis allegedly exploiting the state’s Medicaid Housing Stabilization Services program, with millions in stolen funds even accused of being routed to the terror group al-Shabaab.
The scope of the fraud is jaw-dropping — roughly $1 billion lost across multiple public-assistance programs.
Yes, we repeat: $1 billion (go ahead and say it in your best Dr. Evil voice).
And according to new reporting from Fox News, even that astronomical figure may understate the true scale of the corruption bleeding Minnesota taxpayers dry under Walz’s governance.
“Fraud investigators are finding in Minnesota is growing by the day,” reports Fox News National Correspondent Garrett Tenney. “Kelly Loeffler, who leads the Small Business Administration, says in the two days her agency has been investigating the state, they’ve uncovered at least $1 million in PPP fraud.”
Tenney went on to say that several whistleblowers have told lawmakers “they believe the total amount of fraud could total up to more than $8 billion.”
?BREAKING: Minnesota’s Somali fraud may reach $8 BILLION, not just $1 billion as first reported.
pic.twitter.com/dfiqKw4uCF— Jack (@jackunheard) December 5, 2025
Walz’s folksy, Elmer Fudd routine isn’t fooling anyone — and it certainly isn’t shielding him from the growing media scrutiny surrounding this massive scandal. Instead of taking responsibility, he’s bounced back and forth between making excuses and dodging accountability altogether.
“And in spite of the headwinds we’re up against, Minnesota ranks economically, economic growth, happiness, number of people insured, education levels near the very top,” he told reporters in discussing a state budget that shows a surplus, though it neglects to factor in the massive fraud.
“If folks are going to commit crimes here, thinking because our generous spirit and our programs that we have is going to give them some kind of cover, they are sadly mistaken,” he added.
Sure. Great. But after some $8 billion has reportedly gone missing, now you’re gonna get serious about fraud? Way too late.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-5) also has ties — or at least familiarity — with some of the key players who benefited from Minnesota’s exploding fraud scandal.
And when CNN’s Jake Tapper pressed her on the Somali-linked schemes draining her own state, she could barely muster an explanation. Omar stumbled through her answers, offering little more than deflection and confusion as the details mounted.
“I think what happened, um, is that, you know, when you have these, kind of new programs that are, um, designed to help people, you’re oftentimes relying on third parties to be able to facilitate,” Omar said. “And I just think that a lot of the COVID programs that were set up — they were set up so quickly that a lot of the guardrails did not get created.”
Jake Tapper: Why did fraud in Minnesota get so out of control?
Ilhan Omar: I think what happened, um, is that, you know, when you have these, kind of, new programs that are, um, designed to, uh, help people…I just think that a lot of the COVID programs…were set up so quickly… pic.twitter.com/YcaTqC5LYG
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) December 4, 2025
Hmm — and who exactly is responsible for putting those “guardrails” in place? It’s hard not to wonder whether they were intentionally left down, especially in a community where some of the individuals involved have politically convenient ties.
And by “some,” I mean me. I’m wondering that.
As for Walz, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem offered two possible explanations during a recent cabinet meeting with President Trump. In her words: “That wacko Governor Walz either is an idiot, or he did it on purpose.”
Of course, there’s always the possibility it’s both. You be the judge. For her part, Loeffler notes that this type of fraud is “exactly what the Democratic socialist welfare state is.”
Minnesota’s socialist welfare state fueled the largest fraud case of the pandemic, even as whistleblowers begged officials to shut it down.
SBA is uncovering the depth of the abuse, but one thing is clear: from food assistance programs to PPP, American families paid the price. pic.twitter.com/1vOe6uRjB1
— Kelly Loeffler (@SBA_Kelly) December 5, 2025
“It’s massive fraud where officials look the other way, enrich themselves for it, and then hardworking Minnesotans, hardworking Americans pay for it in the form of taxes,” she said.
The fraud reportedly stretched on for years under the Walz administration. And as Councilwoman Loeffler rightly pointed out, officials who “enrich themselves” through criminal schemes shouldn’t just skate by — they should face real consequences.
Accountability shouldn’t stop with the fraudsters. It should extend to the political leadership that allowed this corruption to flourish.
And I don’t disagree. I’m just waiting for the “when will it happen” part to be revealed.
