Independent journalist Nick Shirley discusses why local politicians shield welfare programs in Minnesota from investigation.
Assertion Open · timeframe Dec 2028
Shirley: Entitlement fraud money in Minnesota is funding Al-Shabaab terrorists
“And so like the rumors of them funding Al-Shabaab, they're real, because they've been able to funnel all this money.”
Assertion Partly supported
Shirley: 81% of Minnesota's Somali population receives state welfare
“That's why 81% of the population, Somali population side of Minnesota is on welfare”
Assertion Supported
Shirley: Massive welfare fraud is being committed via Minnesota daycare centers
“Massive welfare frauds being committed. People are opening up these daycares, home healthcare clinics, you name it. Anything that has anything to do with like health, welfare, or even just like helping people in general, like with daycare or with healthcare, t…”
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Shirley: Minnesota funds repeat fraudsters despite severe daycare violations
“Yeah, 100%, because a lot of these daycares, there's six, seven violations, and they're still continuing to give funding to these daycares. And they have the same name, the same person has opened up. I was in one of their fraud committee meetings, the same per…”
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Shirley: Minnesota fraud numbers came from an insider state capitol leak
“The man who helped me like lead the investigation himself, David, he had all the paperwork from the Capitol. He had somebody from inside the Capitol leaking in the information. So there was my like fact check per se was he had a source from inside the Capitol.…”
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Shirley: Mayors say insiders channel government funds through family nonprofits
“I've had mares in California tell me about that who've given me firsthand accounts of them knowing the family members of people inside of the government opening up nonprofits, and then that's how they get a lot of campaign money.”