Minnesota Fraud Scandals

U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon sent a letter Tuesday calling on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to resign over what she calls widespread fraud under his watch, citing Department of Education findings that 1,834 alleged 'ghost students' in Minnesota received about $12.5 million in grants and loans and referencing broader welfare‑program fraud scandals. The letter points to DOE fraud‑prevention steps, including mandatory ID verification for certain first‑time student‑aid applicants, and ties the Minnesota figures to a national DOE claim that over $1 billion in attempted aid fraud was thwarted in the past year.