WASHINGTON D.C January 7, 2026 – The U.S. Department of Justice is surging a team of prosecutors to Minnesota to bolster efforts against extensive fraud schemes that have defrauded taxpayers of hundreds of millions of dollars, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced.
Bondi emphasized a strong commitment to accountability, stating: “The Department of Justice is dispatching a team of prosecutors to Minnesota to reinforce our US Attorney’s Office and put the perpetrators of this widespread fraud behind bars.” She added that the DOJ will “deliver severe consequences in Minnesota and stand ready to deploy to any other state where similar fraud schemes are robbing American taxpayers.”
Key Fraud Cases Under Investigation
The action targets multiple high-profile cases, most notably the $250 million Feeding Our Future scandal. Fraudsters allegedly diverted pandemic-era funds intended for child nutrition programs.
Additional probes involve fraud in:
– The Housing Stabilization Services (HSS) program, designed to assist vulnerable individuals with housing through Medicaid.
– The Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) program for children with autism.
Federal prosecutors have charged 98 defendants in Minnesota-related fraud cases, with 85 of Somali descent. To date, these investigations have secured 64 convictions.
The DOJ has issued over 1,750 subpoenas, executed more than 130 search warrants, and conducted over 1,000 witness interviews. The FBI is also deploying forensic accountants and data analytics teams to examine potential links between elected officials and terrorist financing, including reports of funds reaching the Somali group al-Shabaab.
Independent reporting has highlighted suspicious day care centers in the state, some under active investigation and linked to multiple charged defendants.
This intensified enforcement comes as scrutiny grows over Minnesota’s oversight of federal funds, following earlier trials and convictions in the Feeding Our Future case.
The DOJ’s move signals a broader push to combat fraud nationwide under the current administration.
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