Tag: taxes

FBI gives update on daycare accused of $4MILLION taxpayer fraud as Kash Patel says it’s the ‘tip of the iceberg’ and vows to ‘follow the money and protect children’

FBI Director Kash Patel revealed the bureau is cracking down on fraud in Minneapolis after a daycare was accused of stealing $4 million in taxpayer money.

In a lengthy X post on Sunday, Patel said the FBI has long been aware of the situation, vowed to ‘protect the children,’ and warned this is just ‘the tip of a very large iceberg.’

A Minnesota daycare with misspelled signs and no children inside reportedly received millions in taxpayer funds, sparking immediate outrage among lawmakers demanding answers. 

Allegations spread on social media this week after independent journalist Nick Shirley posted a video on X claiming state authorities allowed the ‘largest fraud in US history’ to go unchecked. 

Lisa Demuth, running for governor, is now pushing for stricter scrutiny to uncover fraud in the Democrat-led state. 

On Sunday, Patel announced that the FBI had already ‘surged personnel and investigative resources to Minnesota,’ even before the social media discussion took off running.

‘The FBI is aware of recent social media reports in Minnesota,’ Patel wrote, claiming that the bureau has moving to ‘dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs.’

‘Fraud that steals from taxpayers and robs vulnerable children will remain a top FBI priority in Minnesota and nationwide,’ he added. 

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Network Mapping Nick Shirley’s Bombshell Report Of ‘Empty’ Minnesota Daycares

A viral video that has topped 76 million views on X within 48 hours has significantly heightened public scrutiny of multiple Minneapolis daycare centers linked to Somali operators that received millions in state and federal funding despite showing minimal operational activity. The apparent mismatch between allocated taxpayer funds and observable services strengthens a recent report by Christopher F. Rufo, which alleges that Somali-linked fraud in the left-wing-controlled state may involve front companies potentially diverting taxpayer funds to at least one overseas terrorist network.

The Democratic Party and its PR machine across left-wing corporate media outlets, including CBS, PBS, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, 60 Minutes, The New York Times, and the Associated Press, have largely remained silent on citizen journalist Nick Shirley’s investigation.

We assess that as the dominant narrative of the widening Somali-linked fraud scandal in Minneapolis continues to go viral on X through “America First”-linked accounts, Democrats and their PR machine will move to advance a counter-narrative, given how optically damaging these revelations are ahead of the midterm cycle.

The days of Democrats defaulting to labeling opponents as “racists” or “fascists” appear to be over. They will likely need to develop new pejoratives to target those investigating allegations of welfare fraud on a scale larger than Somalia’s GDP.

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Minnesota’s Largest Newspaper Completely Ignores Somali Fraud Scandal in Year-End Review and There’s a Likely Reason for That

The Minnesota Star Tribune is the largest newspaper in the state. You would think that they would be at least mildly interested in the Somali fraud scandal engulfing the state right now, wouldn’t you?

Well, as is often common in media bias, it is not only what the media does report but what they do not report, and they obviously do not want to report on this story.

The Star Tribune just did a year end review of the biggest stories and did not mention the fraud scandal at all.

For the left, there are a few problems with this story. First, there are no Republicans to blame for the scandal. Minnesota is run by Democrats and has been for decades. Second, the story involves the Somali community in Minnesota and liberals in the media are terrified of being called racists. Finally, the Minnesota Star Tribune has a direct connection to Governor Tim Walz.

A man named Steve Grove is the publisher of the Minnesota Star Tribune and before he got that job, he worked for the Tim Walz administration. You could not make this up.

This is from the Niskanen Center (bolding is ours):

Steve Grove is the publisher and CEO of the Minnesota Star Tribune. For many years, he had been a high-flying executive in Silicon Valley, working for firms like Google and YouTube. Then in 2018, he and his wife — who worked for a venture capital firm investing in startups outside of the coasts along with AOL founder Steve Case and now-Vice President JD Vance — decided to return to Minnesota, where Grove had grown up. His recent book, How I Found Myself in the Midwest: A Memoir of Reinvention, is about leaving the global hub of innovation for what’s often disparaged as “flyover country.” It’s also a story of recommitting to civic and political involvement, as Grove went to work for Minnesota governor (and future Democratic vice-presidential nominee) Tim Walz as head of the state’s departments of economic and workforce development. He was in this role when the pandemic struck the state, making him the principal liaison with a business community struggling to cope with restrictions meant to stem the spread of COVID.

This is from a 2023 press release put out by Walz’s own office:

Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan today congratulated departing Commissioner Steve Grove and thanked him for his years of service at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Grove will depart from his position to serve as CEO & Publisher of the Star Tribune. Commissioner Grove was appointed by Governor Walz in January 2019.

“Commissioner Grove has truly exemplified what it means to be a public servant and advocate for the state of Minnesota,” said Governor Walz.

Do you think that might have something to do with the paper’s disinterest in a story that has the potential to end Walz’s career and even get him prosecuted?

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Taxpayer-Funded Florida Theater Held ‘Drag Queen Christmas’ Show Despite Protests and AG Demands

In a move that has ignited fierce debate across Florida, the Pensacola city-owned Saenger Theatre hosted a sold-out performance of “A Drag Queen Christmas” on Tuesday, despite months of controversy, public outcry, and demands from state officials to cancel the event.

The touring drag show, known for its provocative content, drew protests outside the venue but proceeded without interruption.

The Saenger Theatre, a landmark in downtown Pensacola built in 1925, is fully owned by the city, with taxpayer dollars covering its maintenance and upkeep, though not directly funding the show itself.

Conservatives had argued that allowing such an event in a publicly funded space amounts to an endorsement of obscene and anti-Christian content, especially given its timing just days before Christmas.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier publicly condemned the city for permitting the performance, calling it a “public nuisance” that mocks Christian beliefs and risks exposing children to inappropriate material.

“Two days before Christmas, Pensacola will host a demonic, sexually explicit drag show at the city-owned Saenger Theatre,” Uthmeier wrote in a post on X. “Pensacola shouldn’t platform obscenities that denigrate its residents and expose kids to harmful content. They should cancel the event.”

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Here’s What the Useless ‘Mainstream Media’ Was Focused on While a Citizen Journalist Uncovered More Massive Somali Fraud in Minnesota

If you read the Gateway Pundit, by now you are familiar with the story of more massive Somali fraud in Minnesota related to daycare centers, which was exposed by citizen journalist Nick Shirley.

At the time of this writing, the tweet with the video that Shirley published on December 26th has been viewed 56 million times.

Shirley’s work here was good, old-fashioned, shoe leather reporting. He really deserves all of the praise he is getting for this.

What about the so-called mainstream media? This is the job they used to do. What have they been up to for the last few days? Well, in addition to completely ignoring this story, they have been focused on a bunch of other completely pointless stories.

By the way, when we say they’re ignoring the Minnesota story, that is not an exaggeration. None of the outlets below have tweeted a single thing about what Nick Shirley uncovered, despite the enormity of the story.

Over at the Washington Post, they did a story about Trump putting too much Christ into Christmas.

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Shocking EBT Fraud Schemes Exposed in Ohio’s Somali Community

An independent journalist in Ohio has uncovered elaborate fraud schemes allegedly involving Somali immigrants exploiting the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system.

The investigation, detailed in a video that has gone viral on social media, highlights how some individuals are using welfare benefits to subsidize their businesses while evading taxes.

The video, posted on X by @WallStreetApes, shows the journalist touring Columbus neighborhoods and explaining the mechanics of the scheme.

He describes how Somali-owned restaurants are often attached to grocery stores, allowing owners to use EBT cards to purchase bulk ingredients for their eateries.

“Every single Somali restaurant has a grocery store right next door or within eye shot of the restaurant,” the journalist states. “They can just order everything they need to their grocery store that’s right next or attached to the restaurant that they also own and never have to fill a single cart.”

According to the investigator, these grocery stores are likely to report significant losses annually, which are used as tax write-offs, while the restaurants operate on cash, funneling the government-funded goods into profitable ventures.

The journalist also points out the role of polygamous marriages in the community, noting that multiple wives can claim benefits as single mothers, further maximizing welfare payouts.

“If you have two or three wives that don’t claim, these women can go work at Wal-Mart full time for $15 an hour and still qualify for food stamps as long as they have a couple kids,” he explains.

The journalist references Minnesota, where 88% of the Somali community is reportedly on social services, suggesting the fraud in Columbus could be equally pervasive.

This follow-up investigation builds on an earlier report by Columbus resident Nakia Deon, who first brought attention to similar scams in a video shared on X.

Deon described Somali men owning businesses like markets, with their wives using EBT cards exclusively at those stores, leading to massive fraud through hidden polygamous marriages and money laundering.

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75 US Deportees To End Up On Tiny Island In Cash Deal With Local Rulers

In the Trump administration’s latest display of creativity when it comes to unloading unwanted immigrants, the United States has made a deal with the rulers of the tiny Pacific island nation of Palau, which will take 75 rejected migrants off Uncle Sam’s hands in exchange for $100,000 per head. The deportees in question will be a diverse group, but they’ll likely share one thing in common — none of them are from Palau, or ever heard of it.  

Palau will serve as a small relief valve for situations where a migrant’s home country refuses to take them back. “Palau and the United States signed a Memorandum of Understanding allowing up to 75 third country nationals, who have never been charged with a crime, to live and work in Palau, helping address local labor shortages in needed occupations,” said Palauan President Surangel Whipps in a statement. 

Located in the Pacific region of Micronesia, Palau comprises some 350 tiny coral and volcanic islands, with a population of only 18,000. It was administered by the US government from World War II to 1994, when it became independent. However, it has maintained close relations with America via an arrangement called “free association,” which lets Palauans work, live or study in the United States — but we’re guessing that privilege won’t be extended to the 75 deportees. Palau also uses the US dollar as its currency, and its mail is delivered by the USPS.

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Junk Food Bans For SNAP Users In Some States Starting 2026: What To Know

Americans using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to purchase groceries may need to adjust their shopping habits in 2026 as some states will prohibit the use of SNAP funds to purchase certain “junk foods.”

Also starting next year, states will have to shoulder a larger portion of the cost of running the program. In addition, states could lose funds if their payment error rate is too high.

Here is what to know about the overhaul of America’s largest nutrition program.

Restrictions on Purchases in Some States

Eighteen states will restrict the purchase of certain foods lacking in nutritional value next year. The changes are being made under the banner of the Make America Healthy Again initiative launched by the Department of Health and Human Services. To institute the changes, the states had to submit and have approved a waiver of federal rules from the Department of Agriculture, which oversees the nutrition program.

The starting dates for the restrictions and the foods prohibited vary by state.

Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, and West Virginia will implement purchase restrictions on Jan. 1, 2026. Idaho, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Colorado, Texas, Virginia, and Florida have starting dates from February to April. Arkansas, Tennessee, Hawaii, South Carolina, North Dakota, and Missouri will begin their bans between July and October.

Most of these states have removed candy, soda, and energy drinks from the list of SNAP-eligible items.

In Tennessee and Iowa, SNAP beneficiaries cannot use the funds to purchase processed foods. Tennessee defines a processed food as one that has been changed in any way from its natural state.

Prepared desserts, such as cakes and cookies, are restricted in Florida and Missouri.

In Iowa, foods that are prepared for consumption or come with eating utensils may not be purchased with SNAP funds. Cold, unpackaged foods without utensils, such as bread, fruit, or canned goods, are still permitted.

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Front Companies? Bombshell Report Exposes Network Of Somali-Linked “Empty” Daycares Across Minnesota

Left-wing Governor Tim Walz, under intensifying federal pressure, faces a widening Somali-linked fraud scandal in Minnesota. Federal prosecutors state that the scheme currently totals at least $9 billion, with the final figure potentially much higher. Recent reporting by Ryan Thorpe and Christopher F. Rufo alleges that some welfare funds were funneled into an overseas terrorist organization. Now, a bombshell video from a citizen journalist suggests the fraud extends beyond Medicaid into the state’s daycare system.

A 42-minute bombshell video by journalist Nick Shirley and a local private investigator documents an on-the-ground investigation in Minneapolis that alleges massive, ongoing fraud in government-funded social services. The main focus is on Somali-owned businesses in child daycare, adult/autism care, home healthcare, and non-emergency medical transportation programs that draw from the taxpayer-funded Child Care Assistance Program.

Shirley claims his team uncovered more than $110 million in questionable payments to Somali-owned businesses on just the first day of their investigation, as part of a broader welfare fraud scandal totaling upwards of $9 billion.

Shirley and the investigator visited several childcare facilities that had no visible children, toys, or activities during peak hours. Staff could not answer basic questions about rates or licenses. Both were denied entry to the reception areas of these facilities:

  • Quality Learing Center: Licensed for 99 children; received $4 million over two years. Sign misspells “learning” as “learing”; no children visible, doors locked, no playground.
  • Future Leaders Early Learning Center: Licensed for 90 children; received $6.67 million over two years. Facility empty; staff evasive when asked about child numbers.
  • Mako Child Care and Mini Child Care Center (combined): Licensed for 120 children; received $1.3M (2020), $987K (2021), $714K (2022), $1.6M (2025). No children observed.
  • ABC Learning Center: Licensed for 40 children; nearly $3 million over three years. Blacked-out windows, no activity.
  • Sweet Angel Child Care: Licensed for 74 children; $1.26 million in 2025 alone.

Millions of taxpayer dollars went to one daycare company that could not even spell “learning” correctly…

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Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist Government Allocates 2.3 Million Euros to Finance the «Digital Transformation» of the Cuban Regime

The Government of Spain, led by the socialist Pedro Sánchez, has approved an allocation of 2.3 million euros to finance the so-called «digital transformation» of public administration in Cuba.

This initiative is part of the «Cuba Digital» project, a program funded by the European Union with a total of 3 million euros, managed through the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIAPP), an entity dependent on the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The stated objective is to digitize governmental procedures, improve administrative efficiency, and promote economic modernization on the Caribbean island.

However, it is clear that the Cuban communist regime argue that this investment does not benefit the people, but rather strengthens the repressive capabilities of Miguel Díaz-Canel’s government.

According to reports, the funds are allocated to update computer systems that include census tools, population control, and digital surveillance, key elements for maintaining authoritarian control over the citizenry.

In a context where Cuba faces serious problems of connectivity and internet access for its inhabitants—with frequent outages and state censorship—this European «aid» seems to prioritize state infrastructure over the real needs of the population, which suffers economic shortages and limitations on freedom of expression.

The decision is framed within a historical relationship between the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) and the Cuban regime, which has included debt condonations and bilateral cooperations.

Recently, Spain activated a debt conversion program for up to 375 million euros, intended for «sustainable development» projects in Cuba, although critics see it as a financial lifeline for Castroism amid its economic crisis.

We had previously reported it in Gateway Hispanic, highlighting how Sánchez ignores national priorities while supporting the Cuban regime.

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