Ilhan Omar says Somalis were also victimized in Minnesota fraud scam

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., expressed frustration Sunday over the creation of the large “Feeding Our Future” fraud scheme involving members of her state’s Somali group, saying many Somalis had been additionally victims as a result of they may have benefited from this system.

Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan referred to as the size of the rip-off “stunning,” noting that it was the Biden-era Justice Division that mentioned it was the biggest COVID-19 fraud scheme within the nation and that almost all of reported offenders had been Somalis, including to the “highlight” on Omar’s group.

“Why do you suppose this fraud was allowed to develop into so widespread?” Brennan requested.

“I need to say that this additionally impacts Somalis as a result of we’re additionally taxpayers in Minnesota,” Omar mentioned. “We may have additionally benefited from this system and the cash that was stolen. So it is very irritating for individuals to not acknowledge that we, as Minnesotans, as taxpayers, are additionally very upset and upset in regards to the fraud that occurred.”

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., has condemned the blatant fraud in Minnesota as “reprehensible.” (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Submit through Getty Pictures)

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT MINNESOTA’S ‘FEEDING OUR FUTURE’ FRAUD AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S LAST CRACKDOWN

Brennan requested Omar if there was a failure of Minnesota’s state authorities, which is dominated by Democrats.

“That is what I alluded to in my letter I despatched to the AG Secretary to see the place issues went unsuitable. How can this sum of money fraudulently disappear with out setting off any alarms?” Omar requested. “And it is one thing that, you already know, we’ve to proceed to discover. We have now to proceed to ask these questions.”

President Donald Trump and different officers have centered on this and different alleged fraud schemes in current weeks, arguing that the felony exercise is the results of mismanagement and “incompetence” by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat and former vice presidential candidate.

MS NOW HOST CALLS HUGE MINNESOTA FRAUD PROGRAM ‘ISOLATED’ IN INTERVIEW WITH M ATTORNEY GENERAL

Trump and Omar have additionally traded barbs in current days, with Trump calling the Somalis “trash” and saying they need to return to their dwelling nations. Omar and different critics referred to as the feedback bigoted and mentioned Trump is attempting to distract from his personal coverage errors.

The back-and-forth comes as Minnesota has come beneath renewed scrutiny for alleged mismanagement of federal funds, together with in distributing cash for the nonprofit “Feeding Our Future” program.

Prosecutors have labeled the fraud scheme within the state because the largest pandemic fraud scheme within the nation, following allegations that the Minnesota nonprofit and its associates defrauded federal youngster diet applications of a whole bunch of thousands and thousands of {dollars} in COVID-19 assist.

The New York Instances reported final month: “Over the previous 5 years, regulation enforcement officers say, fraud has taken root in Minnesota’s Somali diaspora as dozens of people made small fortunes establishing firms that billed state companies for thousands and thousands of {dollars} in social companies that had been by no means delivered.”

Marco Rubio, President Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth throughout a Cupboard assembly on the White Home in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, December 2, 2025. (Yuri Gripas/CNP/Bloomberg through Getty Pictures)

See also  Newsom faces pushback over DOJ federal election monitors criticism

$1 BILLION ALLEGEDLY STOLEN IN FRAUD UNDER MINNESOTA GOVERNMENT. WALZ

Omar mentioned she was one of many first members of Congress to inquire about what she referred to as a “reprehensible” rip-off.

Omar beforehand instructed an area outlet KARE 11 News“The alleged fraud scheme orchestrated by ‘Feeding Our Future’ is despicable. Utilizing the guise of feeding kids to divert thousands and thousands of {dollars} into lavish spending is abhorrent, and everybody who participated on this scheme should be held accountable.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox Information Digital’s Brenna Deppisch and Hanna Panreck contributed to this report.