Report finds Minnesota welfare fraud sent funds to al-Shabaab through hawalas
Millions of dollars in Minnesota welfare funds were diverted through hawala networks and partly funneled to Al-Shabaab, prompting program shutdowns and dozens of indictments.
- On 11/23/2025, Fox News reported Minnesotans' taxpayer funds were siphoned to Al-Shabaab through Somali-operated hawalas, based on a Manhattan Institute inquiry by Ryan Thorpe and Christopher F. Rufo.
- On August 1, the Minnesota Department of Human Services moved to scrap HSS, which had ballooned from an estimated $2.6 million to $61 million in payouts, terminating payments to 77 providers.
- Federal prosecutors say Feeding Our Future misused $250 million, while Asha Farhan Hassan faces charges in a $14 million autism scheme involving fake diagnoses and monthly kickbacks.
- Federal prosecutors have charged roughly half a billion dollars in fraud, with the 56th defendant pleading guilty on September 18 and additional indictments announced September 24.
- The Minnesota Department of Human Services has launched a new transparency webpage and dashboard to publish program‑integrity actions and timelines, while Rep. Kristin Robbins urged probing terrorism links amid scrutiny of Gov. Tim Walz.
98 Articles
98 Articles
Massive Somali Welfare-Fraud Cases in Minnesota—Here’s What We Know
Networks of fraudsters, many from Minnesota’s Somali community, exploited welfare programs—and raked in billions of taxpayer dollars, authorities say. At least three major scandals are involved, one of which has been developing for years. Two others recently surfaced. Then came new revelations that inspired presidential action and touched off calls for further investigation. Here’s what we know about the multifaceted controversy drawing national…
GOP Rep Demands Investigation After Blue State Tax Dollars Caught Going To Somalian Terror Group - The American Tribune.com
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) is now calling for an investigation into how millions of taxpayer dollars from his state ended up being sent off to a radical Islamic terrorist group, Al-Shabaab, which has ties to Al-Qaida. Emmer crafted a letter addressed to U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Daniel Rosen, noting that under the leadership of current Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, “officials estimate one billion dollars have been stolen.…
Massive Minnesota fraud scandal involving Somali immigrants fuels...
Federal prosecutors link billions in stolen aid to Somali networks, with some funds allegedly funneled to Al-Qaeda affiliate Al Shabab. A sprawling series of federal fraud cases centered in Minnesota's Somali immigrant community has exposed billions of dollars in alleged theft from U.S. social welfare programs — money that prosecutors say was laundered through shell operations and, in some instances, routed overseas to terrorist networks. The re…
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