Trump administration to investigate Minnesota over claims of fraud pipeline to terrorists

Christopher Vondracek, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Dec 1, 2025

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WASHINGTON D.C. — U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says he’s directed federal authorities to investigate claims that public dollars in Minnesota obtained fraudulently through abuse of the state’s welfare programs were then redirected to a foreign terrorist organization.

We “are acting fast to ensure Americans’ taxes are not funding acts of global terror,” Bessent wrote in a post to social media Monday evening, calling out the administrations of former President Joe Biden and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Bessent included in his post a link to an article by City Journal, published earlier this month, arguing that Minnesota tax dollars flowed through illegitimate entities, such as fake autism centers or the pandemic-era Feeding Our Future food programs, to the Somali terrorist group al-Shabaab.

There is scant evidence to support the claim that stolen taxpayer funds have been funneled to terrorist groups.

But cases of fraud have piled up in recent years, beginning with then-U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland’s prosecution of conspirators in the $250 million Feeding Our Future racket, to the latest federal charge against an autism therapy center provider, Asha Farhan Hassan. Authorities say she and partners stole $14 million.

According to federal prosecutors, the fraud schemes amounted to more than $1 billion and resulted in convictions for nearly 60 people.

Many of those convicted or charged with crimes, though not all, are members of the Twin Cities’ Somali-American community.

Asked about GOP calls for a federal investigation last week, DFL Gov. Tim Walz told reporters he welcomes one.

“I think it’s the right thing to do,” Walz said. But he added, “I don’t know if they’ll find the connection.”

The state’s four Republicans in Congress have also asked U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen to investigate whether stolen fraud money was funneled to al-Shabab.

“We are confident that he will uncover the truth and hold terror-funding fraudsters — and those who enable them — accountable," U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer posted on X.

Earlier on Monday, a White House news release repeated claims from City Journal and other publications, saying a “massive scandal unfolded on Walz’s watch.”

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(Ryan Faircloth of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this story.)

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