Walz to name statewide fraud director
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will announce a statewide fraud‑prevention program and name a Director of Program Integrity at a 10:30 a.m. Friday press conference in St. Paul. The move follows heightened national scrutiny of fraud in Minnesota programs and recent federal cases, with FOX 9 citing DOJ figures estimating roughly $822 million tied to recent schemes.
📌 Key Facts
- Event: Press conference Friday at 10:30 a.m. in St. Paul
- Action: Announcement of a statewide fraud-prevention program and its Director of Program Integrity
- Context: FOX 9 cites DOJ figures totaling about $822M in recent Minnesota fraud cases (including Feeding Our Future and other programs)
📊 Relevant Data
The majority of the 78 defendants charged in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme are of Somali descent.
Minnesota's Somali Fraud Problem — City Journal
Minnesota has the largest Somali population in the United States, with approximately 64,354 Somalis making up 1.12% of the state's total population.
Somali Population by State 2025 — World Population Review
Somali children in Minnesota have an autism diagnosis rate of 1 in 16, compared to 1 in 53 for their non-Somali classmates.
Research finds 1 in 16 Somali children diagnosed with autism, 3 times more than state — MPR News
Fraud in Minnesota's Medicaid autism programs has allegedly been perpetrated by members of the Somali community.
Minnesota Welfare Fraud: Some Funds Went to Al-Shabaab — City Journal