Nick Shirley, a 23-year-old YouTuber and self-described independent journalist, became a central figure in the Minnesota fraud scandal in late December 2025. His 42-minute video. His video went viral on both YouTube and X and has hurled further the fraud scandal involving social programs in Minnesota toward public consciousness.
How Was the Federal and State Governments Defrauded: A Primer on the Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Scandal in Minnesota Involving Food Distribution Program for Children
What began as a multi-million-dollar pandemic-era food distribution fraud has evolved into a thorough investigation of public safety nets in Minnesota. Both critics and the second Trump administration have also turned their attention toward the local Somali community.
Further Background on the Controversial Video
In the controversial video, Shirley and a partner, who was identified as David, visit about 10 child centers in the Minneapolis area that receive public funding through the Child Care Assistance Program. The YouTuber claimed that these centers are “empty shells” that use millions in taxpayer dollars without actually providing child care services.
He pointed to locked doors, empty parking lots, and the absence of children or toys visible from the street. Shirley alleged that his team uncovered questionable activity in a single day that could amount to over 110 million U.S. dollars. He further suggested the total fraud across state programs could reach up to 1 billion U.S. dollars of public funds.
Several high-profile political figures, including Elon Musk, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, amplified the video across social media and mainstream media. This led to rapid consequences. U.S. President Donald Trump shared the video, and Vance commended Shirley for his supposed investigative work.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services cited the allegations in the video as a reason to freeze federal child care funding in Minnesota in late December 2025. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and FBI Director Kash Patel further confirmed that federal agents began checking into the centers featured in the video.
It was later revealed that the Minnesota House Republican Caucus had provided Shirley with the data and locations of the centers. The alleged intention was to use the video to hold Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and his administration accountable for a lack of oversight. Walz pushed back against claims he has not addressed the fraud allegations.
Feeding Our Future Nonprofit Organization
The child care fraud scandal primarily centers on the misuse of federal pandemic relief funds meant to feed children. The alleged scheme involved a Minnesota nonprofit organization called Feeding Our Future. It was founded in 2016 by Aimee Bock as a vehicle for raising funds and implementing feeding programs targeting less-fortunate children.
However, while the nonprofit claimed to be feeding thousands of children daily through the Federal Child Nutrition Program, in reality, it submitted fake names, forged invoices, and inflated rosters. Officials from the Minnesota Department of Education identified early signs of fraud in July 2019 due to implausible meal distribution claims.
Feeding Our Future continued applying for funding to provide meals to school children even after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, and despite the fact that schools were closed. It also compelled the Minnesota Department of Education to disburse funding from a federal grant after threatening legal action against the state government.
The state was later sued in November 2020 after delaying its response to grant applications. The nonprofit argued that it was being discriminated against because of race, national origin, color, and religion. Note that while Bock is a white American, she utilized a network of Somali-Americans and used their facilities as vehicles for meal distribution.
However, after the Minnesota Department of Education raised concerns of fraud with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the FBI began investigating in February 2021. Federal prosecutors then allege that only 3 percent of the funding granted to Feeding Our Future was spent on food, while the remaining was funneled to individual conspirators.
The prosecutors further claim that the nonprofit pocketed at least 250 million U.S. dollars in federal funds. The stolen money was used to purchase luxury real estate properties in the United States, Kenya, and Turkey, as well as luxury vehicles from automakers like Porsche and Tesla, jewelry, and clothing and apparel from luxury brands.
Legal Outcomes and More Recent Developments
In March 2025, Bock was found guilty of wire fraud and bribery. Moreover, in December 2025, a court ordered her to forfeit more than 5 million U.S. dollars in assets. Defendants like Mohamed Ismail and Abdimajid have received between 10-year and 12-year prison sentences and were ordered to pay tens of millions in restitution.
Governor Walz and the Minnesota Department of Education have faced intense criticism for failing to stop the payments sooner. State officials argued they were initially blocked by a lawsuit from Feeding Our Future. U.S. President Trump has labeled Minnesota a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity under the leadership of Governor Walz.
The fraud scandal has branched out into other areas of welfare programs under the oversight of Minnesota. These include allegations of up to 100 million U.S. dollars in fraud at various day care centers. In September 2025, federal charges were filed against dozens of individuals for allegedly defrauding the Housing Stabilization Services program.
Moreover, because over 80 percent of the defendants are of Somali descent, the scandal has put the Minnesota Somali community, which is the largest in the country, under intense public scrutiny. Trump cited the fraud cases as a primary reason for ending Temporary Protected Status for Somali refugees in Minnesota in November 2025.
Several Somali leaders, including Kayseh Magan, who was a former investigator under the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General, argued that the fraudsters exploited the social cohesion of the Somali community in Minnesota as a shield and gambled on the notion that officials would be too afraid of appearing racist to investigate thoroughly.
FURTHER READINGS AND REFERENCES
- Kaplan, J. and Kaplan, M. 8 December 2025. “Minnesota Officials Saw Signs of Massive Fraud Even Before COVID Hit.” CBS News. Available online
- Londoño, E. 29 November 2025. “How Fraud Swamped Minnesota’s Social Services System on Time Walz’s Watch.” The New York Times. Available online
- Magan, K. 17 July 2024. “A Somali-American Former Investigator: Why You’re Hearing About Fraud in My Community.” Minnesota Reformer. Available online
- Sepic, M. 19 March 2025. “Feeding Our Future Head Aimee Bock Convicted on All Fraud Charges.” MPR News. Available online