Nadene Goldfoot
The news today centers on the fact that a trillion dollars every hour has been going to graft, uncovered first in Minnesota. CNN has been talking about it on the morning show of Michael Smerconish .
The incident discussed likely refers to the massive "Feeding Our Future" fraud scheme in Minnesota, where federal funds intended for a free meal program for children were stolen. (This is only one of the schemes uncovered since they started the investigation.) This scandal has been a prominent news topic, discussed on various media programs, including potentially Michael Smerconish's morning program.
A major federal investigation in Minnesota has uncovered multiple, large-scale social services fraud schemes, the primary one being the $250 million "Feeding Our Future" case. Federal prosecutors have charged nearly 100 people, the majority of whom are of Somali descent, with diverting taxpayer funds intended for needy children and other programs into luxury purchases and overseas transfers.
Mention Somali and I think of the Squad's member in the House from Somalia who attacks Israel every chance she can. The "Squad" member from Somalia is Ilhan Omar, the U.S. Representative for Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, known for being one of the first Muslim women and first African refugees elected to Congress, and a prominent voice in the (progressive) "Squad" group. Of the little news I heard from Smerconish this morning, she was not mentioned at all. The "Squad" member from Somalia is Ilhan Omar, the U.S. Representative for Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, known for being one of the first Muslim women and first African refugees elected to Congress, and a prominent voice in the progressive "Squad" group.
The Governor of Minnesota was mentioned, Governor Walz. A Minnesota nonprofit profit is facing allegations that it pocketed money that was supposed to be spent on impoverished children during his watch.
- Feeding Our Future: This was the largest single scheme, a non-profit that exploited a COVID-19 pandemic-era expansion of a federal child nutrition program. The organization and its affiliates claimed to serve millions of non-existent meals to children. Instead, the money was allegedly used to purchase luxury cars, real estate in Minnesota and countries like Kenya and Turkey, and to fund lavish vacations.
- Other Programs: Other unrelated fraud cases have also been charged, including a $14 million autism treatment program fraud and a housing assistance fraud scheme.
- Total Amount: While the "Feeding Our Future" case involves around $250-300 million, a federal prosecutor indicated in late 2025 that the total amount of fraud across 14 state-run programs could exceed $1 billion.
- Funds to Somalia: A significant portion of the stolen funds was wired overseas to places including China, Kenya, and Somalia via money transfer businesses.
- Alleged Terrorist Ties: The U.S. Treasury Department is investigating allegations that some money may have been funneled to the terrorist group al-Shabaab in Somalia. However, multiple federal investigators involved in the prosecutions have stated there is no evidence the charged defendants intended to fund terrorism or that the funds directly reached al-Shabaab.
- Al-Shabaab, also known as Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahidin, is an
- al-Qaeda-affiliated insurgent and terrorist group based in Somalia,
- recognized as one of the world's most lethal and wealthy terrorist
- organizations. They would be an enemy of Israel, being they are
- connected to al-Qaeda.
- Its primary objective is to overthrow the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), expel foreign forces, and establish a strict Islamist state based on Sharia law across the Horn of Africa.
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