Minnesota’s Somali Fraud May Reach $8 BILLION — EIGHT TIMES Larger Than Originally Reported
Minnesota’s sprawling Somali-linked fraud networks may be far larger and more deeply embedded than the public was ever told. What was originally reported as a $250 million “Feeding Our Future” scandal and later acknowledged as a $1 billion fraud may now exceed $8 BILLION, according to whistleblowers and new federal investigations.
In an explosive announcement on X, U.S. Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler revealed that numerous individuals and nonprofits indicted in the Minnesota COVID-relief scandal also received SBA PPP loans and other federal payouts, suggesting a coordinated, multi-agency exploitation of pandemic programs.
“Numerous individuals and nonprofits indicted in the $1 billion Minnesota COVID fraud scandal, including Feeding Our Future, received SBA PPP loans in addition to other state and federal funding,” Loeffler wrote on X Tuesday.
“I have ordered an investigation into the network of Somali organizations and executives implicated in these schemes. Despite Governor Walz’s best efforts to obstruct, SBA continues to work to expose abuse and hold perpetrators accountable, full stop.”
An SBA spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital that the agency is now investigating every individual and organization indicted in Minnesota’s broader COVID-fraud scandal:
“The agency is investigating all individuals and organizations indicted as part of the $1 billion Minnesota COVID fraud scheme to identify any that may have also fraudulently obtained PPP loans—evaluating their citizenship status, the legitimacy of their nonprofit work, and other requirements for eligibility.”
SBA spokesperson Maggie Clemmons added:
“The agency will provide additional details as the scope of fraud across these Somali networks are uncovered—and remains committed to clawing back all funding that was illegally obtained on behalf of American taxpayers.”