{"id":2526544,"date":"2025-12-30T05:44:01","date_gmt":"2025-12-30T10:44:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/walz-appointees-oversaw-massive-alleged-somali-daycare-fraud\/"},"modified":"2025-12-30T11:08:23","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T16:08:23","slug":"walz-appointees-oversaw-massive-alleged-somali-daycare-fraud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/walz-appointees-oversaw-massive-alleged-somali-daycare-fraud\/","title":{"rendered":"Walz appointees oversaw massive alleged Somali daycare fraud"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwalz-appointees-oversaw-massive-alleged-somali-daycare-fraud%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2526544&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Close allies of minnesota Gov. Tim Walz led the state agencies that disbursed millions in <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >taxpayer-funded child-care subsidies<\/a> to Somali-operated daycares now accused of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/joe-bidens-choice-to-oversee-covid-unemployment-benefits-lost-600-million-in-coronavirus-relief-to-nigerian-scammers\/\" title=\"Joe Biden\u2019s Choice To Oversee COVID Unemployment Benefits Lost 0 Million In Coronavirus Relief To Nigerian Scammers\">large-scale fraud<\/a>. An investigative video and records reportedly show more than $110 million in payments through the federal Child Care Assistance program to facilities that often had few or no children on-site and that displayed safety violations, yet retained state licenses. whistleblowers and fraud watchdogs are scrutinizing walz&#8217;s appointees, including Tikki Brown, who became commissioner of the newly formed Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) in April 2024, and jodi Harpstead, a former Department of Human Services (DHS) commissioner. Brown has emphasized equity and inclusion in child welfare and previously worked on state anti-racism and equity initiatives; Harpstead previously led Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, which resettled Somali refugees.Critics say oversight failures at DHS and DCYF allowed alleged abuse of social-service funding; investigators and federal authorities have been reported to be looking into the matter,and DCYF was contacted for comment.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Walz allies led state agencies that oversaw massive alleged Somali daycare fraud<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2441810\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Close allies of embattled Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Tim-Walz\">Tim Walz<\/a> (D-MN) were in charge of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/minnesota\/\">Minnesota<\/a> state agencies that distributed millions of taxpayer dollars to the Somali-run daycares, reportedly at the center of a mounting potential <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/fraud\/\">fraud<\/a> scandal engulfing the governor&rsquo;s office.<\/p>\n<p>Walz appointees are facing renewed scrutiny after <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/nickshirleyy\/status\/2004642794862961123\">an investigative video<\/a> from content creator Nick Shirley found that these child care facilities received more than $110 million in subsidies, primarily through the state&rsquo;s federally funded <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/dcyf.mn.gov\/programs-directory\/child-care-assistance-program\">Child Care Assistance Program<\/a>, despite having few to no children on-site.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3933620\/texas-antifa-cell-terrorism-case-confessions-mount\/\">Texas antifa terrorism case: Confessions mount as Trump DOJ clinches more convictions<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4363765\/ice-fbi-agents-investigating-suspected-minnesota-fraud-sites\/\">ICE joins FBI agents in investigating suspected Minnesota fraud sites<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/4362505\/health-insurers-drift-leftward-campaign-donations-seek-sway-gop\/\">Health insurers drift leftward in campaign donations even as they seek to sway GOP<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>State records show that many of the care centers, operated primarily by Somali immigrants, were fraught with safety violations. Yet, the Minnesota Department of Human Services never revoked its licenses to operate.<\/p>\n<p>The revelations come as whistleblowers and fraud watchdogs <span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">focus on which officials in Walz&rsquo;s administration&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/3902001\/minnesota-human-services-tim-walz-massive-fraud\/\">they say are responsible<\/a>&nbsp;for allegedly allowing the&nbsp;<\/span>rampant abuse of the state&rsquo;s social services.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3904631\/walz-appointees-failed-to-stop-rampant-minnesota-fraud\/\"><strong>THESE ARE THE WALZ APPOINTEES WHO FAILED TO STOP RAMPANT MINNESOTA FRAUD<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>In April 2024, for example, Walz <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/mn.gov\/governor\/newsroom\/press-releases\/?id=1055-622337\">appointed<\/a> Tikki Brown to head the newly-created Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families, which <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/dcyf.mn.gov\/about-us\/transition-dcyf\">took over<\/a> oversight of CCAP disbursements from the state Department of Human Services.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Tikki&rsquo;s work exemplifies our mission of making Minnesota the best state for children,&rdquo; Walz said at the time of Brown&rsquo;s appointment.<\/p>\n<p>As commissioner of the new department, Brown has called for the state to racially diversify its pool of foster parents, suggesting that transracial foster care assignments can further &ldquo;traumatize&rdquo; minority children who are placed with white caretakers.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The more variety and diversity we can have means that we can have a better match for children in the system who are undergoing great trauma and don&rsquo;t need extra layers added on to it,&rdquo; Brown <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/imprintnews.org\/top-stories\/kids-of-color-in-minnesota-foster-care-are-most-likely-to-live-with-white-foster-parents-and-why-there-are-concerns\/251492\">told<\/a> <em>The Imprint<\/em>, a news outlet centered on child welfare.<\/p>\n<p>According to Brown&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/dcyf.mn.gov\/bios\/tikki-brown-0\">government bio<\/a>, she is focused on &ldquo;advancing equity and inclusion&rdquo; in the state&rsquo;s child care system.<\/p>\n<p>In an interview with the chief equity and inclusion officer of Children&rsquo;s Minnesota, a hospital in the Twin Cities, Brown suggested that children participating in DCYF programming are treated differently based on their race, when asked whether she has different programmatic objectives depending on participant ethnicity.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tikki Brown (Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&ldquo;In Minnesota, we have significant disparities in the race and ethnicity of program participants across an array of services,&rdquo; Brown <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.childrensmn.org\/blog\/tikki-brown-knows-firsthand-some-of-the-challenges-minnesota-children-and-families-face-heres-how-she-wants-to-help-them\/\">told<\/a> the pediatric healthcare provider. &ldquo;We need different solutions to address this, not a one-size-fits-all approach.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>She added, &ldquo;We have several ongoing efforts we expect to have an impact in tackling disparities, and we are looking to deepen our impact with a whole family systems approach.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Brown is currently a fellow of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/buildinitiative.org\/work\/elan\/\">Equity Leaders in Action Network<\/a>, a nationwide group of government workers formed to address &ldquo;racism&rdquo; in public early childhood programs and the purported absence of policy leadership &ldquo;intentionally committed to racial equity.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Funded by the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/non-profit\/w-k-kellogg-foundation\/\">W.K. Kellogg Foundation<\/a> and the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/organization\/ballmer-group\/\">Ballmer Group<\/a>, both left-wing benefactors of explicitly race-conscious causes, ELAN &ldquo;critically examine[s], with a racial equity lens, institutional and structural policies and practices in the distribution of state and federal resources &mdash; e.g., funding and services.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Brown was a member of the state&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/mn.gov\/dhs\/general-public\/about-dhs\/advisory-councils-task-forces\/cultural-ethnic-communities-council.jsp\">Cultural and Ethnic Communities Leadership Council<\/a>, an advisory body tasked with &ldquo;reviewing DHS policies for racial, ethnic, cultural, linguistic and tribal disparities.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>At DHS, she also served on the agency&rsquo;s Strategic Anti-Racism Team Steering Committee and sponsored the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/mn.gov\/mmb\/ergs\/join\/woc\/\">Black Women Employee Resource Group<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Before DCYF&rsquo;s inception, Brown oversaw the children and family services division under then-DHS Commissioner Jodi Harpstead, another <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/mn.gov\/governor\/newsroom\/press-releases\/?id=1055-398402\">Walz appointee<\/a> and advocate of cultural sensitivity.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3913765\/walz-welcome-more-somalis-minnesota-fraud-investigation-intensifies\/\"><strong>WALZ SAYS HE WOULD &lsquo;WELCOME MORE&rsquo; SOMALIS AS FRAUD INVESTIGATION INTENSIFIES<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3904631\/walz-appointees-failed-to-stop-rampant-minnesota-fraud\/\">previously reported<\/a> that before she headed the DHS, Harpstead had led the Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, a nonprofit organization that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/these-7-states-are-working-to-ban-vaccine-passports\/\" title=\"BREAKING: 7 ...s Have Banned Vaccine Passports, More On The Way\">receives public funding<\/a> to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/bridging.org\/blog\/lutheran-social-service-of-minnesota-refugee-services-offers-welcoming-presence-and-vital-resettlement-resources-to-new-minnesotans\/\">resettle Somalians<\/a> in the state.<\/p>\n<p>Under the auspices of her organization&rsquo;s nine-figure annual budget, Harpstead <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sctimes.com\/story\/news\/local\/immigration\/2016\/01\/05\/lss-minnesota-ceo-refugee-resettlement-not-new\/78315780\/\">deposited <\/a>Somalians in various jurisdictions across Minnesota and accordingly helped them find jobs as well as acquire housing.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to its resettlement work, the Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, with Harpstead as CEO, provided educational resources aimed at helping Minnesotans better understand and embrace Somali immigrants. These inclusion efforts included the circulation of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20190430212139\/https:\/\/www.lssmn.org\/get-involved\/church-partnerships\/resources\/studies\/my-neighbor-is-muslim\">a welcome guide<\/a> titled &ldquo;My Neighbor is Muslim&rdquo; to Lutheran churches, encouraging non-Muslim residents to attend meals at local mosques during Ramadan, and pushing for community members to assist Somali arrivals, such as volunteering to tutor them in U.S. citizenship classes.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Listen, read, think, discuss &mdash; and don&rsquo;t leap to fear and hatred,&rdquo; Harpstead said back in 2016. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s so much information on social media and so many opinions, that for all of us to really think and read and learn and discuss is going to be important.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jodi Harpstead, the chief executive of Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, left, speaks to reporters at the Minnesota Capitol on Monday. Aug. 12, 2019, after Gov. Tim Walz, right, named her to be his new commissioner of human services. Harpstead will take over the agency Sept. 3. (AP Photo\/Steve Karnowski)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>While still commissioner, Harpstead and her husband, Stanley &ldquo;Stan&rdquo; Harpstead, appear to have jointly donated <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?202505079760083072\">$1,000<\/a> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?202504299757972136\">twice<\/a> to the Harris-Walz 2024 victory fund, according to the couple&rsquo;s Federal Election Commission filings.<\/p>\n<p>Stanley Harpstead, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/receipts\/individual-contributions\/?contributor_name=+Harpstead%2C+Stan\">a longtime Democratic donor<\/a>, contributed to Walz&rsquo;s gubernatorial reelection campaign in 2019, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/cfb.mn.gov\/reports-and-data\/viewers\/campaign-finance\/candidates\/18135\/2026\/\">disclosure data<\/a> shows.<\/p>\n<p>A spokesman for DHS&rsquo;s fraud prevention and licensing office directed the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> to contact DCYF regarding the daycare fraud claims, noting that administration of CCAP had switched department hands. However, a bulk of the subsidies paid to the suspected Somali fraudsters was awarded when DHS helmed the program.<\/p>\n<p>DCYF was contacted for comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Walz allies ran agencies tied to Somali daycare fraud<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3767,"featured_media":2526545,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/AP25165596626291-scaled-e1764515728621.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[69687,37840,5698,62494,36113],"class_list":["post-2526544","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-daycare-fraud","tag-government-oversight","tag-minnesota","tag-somali-community","tag-tim-walz"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/AP25165596626291-scaled-e1764515728621.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2526544","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3767"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2526544"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2526544\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2526548,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2526544\/revisions\/2526548"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2526545"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2526544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2526544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2526544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}