Washington DC [US], December 28 : FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency has surged additional personnel and investigative resources to Minnesota as part of an ongoing effort "to dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs.
Patel said Sunday that the bureau moved resources into the state even before recent online attention intensified, pointing to the Feeding Our Future investigation, which uncovered a USD 250 million scheme that siphoned federal food aid intended for children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2005305530651189719?s=20
The case has already resulted in 78 indictments and 57 convictions, with prosecutors also charging defendants in a separate plot to bribe a juror with USD 120,000 in cash, Patel said, adding that the investigation remains ongoing.
"The FBI believes this is just the tip of a very large iceberg. We will continue to follow the money and protect children, and this investigation very much remains ongoing," he wrote on X.
"Furthermore, many are also being referred to immigration officials for possible further denaturalisation and deportation proceedings where eligible."
Patel's announcement comes in the wake of a viral video that raised questions about a daycare in Minneapolis that allegedly received millions in state funding despite appearing largely inactive. The video led political figures to call for accountability from Tim Walz and his administration, as per Fox News.
"The FBI is aware of recent social media reports in Minnesota," Patel said, noting that the FBI's latest actions began beforehand.
The third-ranking leader in the House of Representatives, who also happens to hail from Minnesota, demanded answers from Tim Walz after a YouTuber tried to confront employees of an alleged daycare centre that had misspelt signage and no signs of activity outside but reportedly received USD 4 million in state funds, as per Fox News.
The video went viral this week amid the burgeoning scandal enveloping the Walz administration, which notably included at least USD 1 billion lost to alleged social services fraud largely tied to the Somali community in the Twin Cities. A portion reportedly ended up in the hands of the Somali terror group Al-Shabab.
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