{"id":2528851,"date":"2026-01-03T04:42:01","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T09:42:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/firm-with-spotty-record-connects-scrutinized-somali-nonprofits\/"},"modified":"2026-01-03T04:47:32","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T09:47:32","slug":"firm-with-spotty-record-connects-scrutinized-somali-nonprofits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/firm-with-spotty-record-connects-scrutinized-somali-nonprofits\/","title":{"rendered":"Firm with spotty record connects scrutinized Somali nonprofits"},"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%2Ffirm-with-spotty-record-connects-scrutinized-somali-nonprofits%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=2528851&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>A Washington Examiner investigation reports that H&#038;H Barakad Accounting, a Somali-run firm later sanctioned by Ohio for operating without proper certification, audited two Somali nonprofit organizations that received Department of Agriculture grant money. Federal rules require independent audits for entities spending $750,000+ in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-rescinds-trumps-apprenticeship-plan-by-executive-order\/\" title=\"Biden Rescinds Trump\u2019s Apprenticeship Plan By Executive Order\">federal grants<\/a>, but organizations may hire any accountant, which can allow friendly auditors to give permissive reviews. H&#038;H issued clean audit reports in September 2024 for the Somali Education and Resource Center (Ohio) and MAK Community Enrichment Services (Minnesota), even though the audit for the Ohio group reported roughly $1.5 million in wages while the nonprofit&#8217;s tax filings list no leader salaries. Ohio regulators steadfast the firm endorsed audits before it was properly registered, fined it $2,000 in August 2025, and ordered client notification. Independent journalist Walter Curt flagged the connections and warned that such auditing practices make fraud harder to detect; critics on social media have highlighted suspicious activity, including dozens of daycare sites registered under the Ohio nonprofit on the same day in June 2024 and questionable addresses and website errors. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce has as cut ties with the Somali Education and Resource Center and the group has not received further USDA funds.  <\/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\">Somali-run accounting firm with spotty record connects scrutinized Somali <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-admin-weighs-flying-migrants-who-crossed-southern-border-to-northern-states-to-be-processed-report\/\" title=\"Biden Admin Weighs Flying Migrants Who Crossed Southern Border To Northern ...s To Be Processed: Report\">nonprofit groups<\/a><\/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_2458741\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>An accounting firm sanctioned by the state of Ohio for operating without proper certifications was responsible for verifying that two Somali nonprofit organizations were responsibly stewarding taxpayer funds, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lincoln-project-founder-used-donor-cash-to-shore-up-shoddy-finances\/\" title=\"Lincoln Project Founder Used Donor Cash to Shore Up Shoddy Finances\">public records show<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>When an entity spends $750,000 or more of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/explosive-report-reveals-new-details-on-coronavirus-research-in-chinese-labs-including-third-lab\/\" title=\"Explosive Report Reveals New Details On Coronavirus Research In Chinese Labs, Including Third Lab\">federal grant money<\/a> per year, it is required to submit an independent auditor&rsquo;s report to ensure that public funds are being handled with care. These entities, however, are free to contract any public accountant they wish to fulfill that requirement, enabling some organizations to turn to friendly auditors to conduct oversight.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4379110\/somali-community-care-providers-valuable-campaign-cash\/\">Somali community care providers are valuable source of campaign cash for Somali politicians<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4050359\/fluctuating-left-wing-premier-dark-money-network\/\">The fall and rise of the Left&#8217;s premier dark money network<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4379153\/walz-received-10k-from-donors-tied-somali-run-care-centers\/\">Walz received $10,000 from donors tied to Somali-run day care centers<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Both the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/projects.propublica.org\/nonprofits\/display_audit\/2023-12-GSAFAC-0000065123\">Somali Education and Resource Center<\/a> in Ohio and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/projects.propublica.org\/nonprofits\/display_audit\/2023-12-GSAFAC-0000063100\">MAK Community Enrichment Services<\/a> in Minnesota contracted H&amp;H Barakad Accounting to review their books to make sure that the funds they received from the Department of Agriculture were being disbursed properly. Both the nonprofit groups and the accounting firm are run by members of the Somali community.<\/p>\n<p>The accounting firm provided both nonprofit organizations with a glowing assessment within a few days of each other, finding no evidence of noncompliance or other foul play. Notably, the Somali Education and Resource Center, despite the audit report saying it paid out over $1.5 million in wages during 2023, claims on its <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/projects.propublica.org\/nonprofits\/organizations\/800879429\/202531369349301403\/full\">tax forms<\/a> to have paid nothing to its leaders and discloses the salaries of none of its employees.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">Ohio regulators <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/dam.assets.ohio.gov\/image\/upload\/v1755180166\/acc.ohio.gov\/Board%20Meeting%20Materials\/2025%20Meeting%20Materials\/8-22-2025%20Meeting\/9_-_Hearing_Summaries.pdf\">punished<\/a> H&amp;H Barakad Accounting<\/span> in August 2025 for endorsing audit reports before the firm properly registered with the state in January of that year. The firm&rsquo;s audits of the Somali Education and Resource Center in Ohio and MAK Community Enrichment Services occurred in September 2024, before the firm was permitted to do business in that way.<\/p>\n<p>As a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/dam.assets.ohio.gov\/image\/upload\/v1764337787\/acc.ohio.gov\/Board%20Meeting%20Materials\/2025%20Meeting%20Materials\/12-4-2025%20Meeting\/6A_-_Status_Past_Hearings.pdf\">consequence<\/a> of its legal noncompliance, the firm was forced by the state to pay a $2,000 fine and to notify its clients of the mistake.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Activists confronted a group of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in the largely Somali neighborhood of Cedar-Riverside in Minneapolis, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo\/Mark Vancleave)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Independent journalist Walter Curt was the first to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/wcdispatch\/status\/2006833956080234635\">make the connection<\/a> between H&amp;H Barakad Accounting and the duo of Somali-run nonprofit organizations. Curt pointed out that <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >allowing possibly untrustworthy auditors<\/a> to review how nonprofit groups are handling federal funds makes fraud much more difficult to detect and stop.<\/p>\n<p>Some on social media have gone further, claiming that the Somali Education and Resource Center is actively committing fraud.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>These individuals cite the dozens of day cares that were registered under its name on a single day during June 2024 as being particularly suspicious. While it doesn&rsquo;t appear as if these day cares all opened on that day, as multiple have <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/risingstarscolumbus\">digital footprints<\/a> dating back before the June registration date, it is unclear why the nonprofit organization has so many day cares linked to it or why they were all registered on the same day in Columbus, Ohio.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/oeds.ode.state.oh.us\/Orglocation\/Index\/207624\">Kaah Child Care &amp; Learning Center<\/a> and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/oeds.ode.state.oh.us\/Orglocation\/Index\/207623\">Sahal Day Care Center<\/a>, two day care centers registered as child organizations of Somali Education and Resource Center, are located next to each other, according to state records.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3351774\/politically-connected-somali-nonprofit-taxpayer-dollars-mishandling-millions\/\"><strong>POLITICALLY CONNECTED SOMALI NONPROFIT GROUP PULLED IN TAXPAYER DOLLARS AFTER MISHANDLING MILLIO<\/strong><\/a><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3351774\/politically-connected-somali-nonprofit-taxpayer-dollars-mishandling-millions\/\">N<\/a><\/strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3351774\/politically-connected-somali-nonprofit-taxpayer-dollars-mishandling-millions\/\"><strong>S<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Some of the addresses listed on registration forms are in dilapidated <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/local\/place\/fid\/0x88388960fc2fa079:0x27eebc54a0a23fb5\/photosphere?iu=https:\/\/streetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com\/v1\/thumbnail?panoid%3DoCgOkNS5eyvT9Ji9npzMFw%26cb_client%3Dsearch.gws-prod.gps%26yaw%3D306.86002%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100%26w%3D0%26h%3D0&amp;ik=CAISFm9DZ09rTlM1ZXl2VDlKaTlucHpNRnc%3D&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjEnPTi3O2RAxUIL0QIHeHnAyYQpx96BAgzEAU\">locations<\/a>, including one <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/@39.9848525,-82.9263278,3a,75y,95.56h,92.52t\/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sCt3-9DR38IGetUjEuKbHxA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-2.524102564213962%26panoid%3DCt3-9DR38IGetUjEuKbHxA%26yaw%3D95.5626431428281!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&amp;g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTIwOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D\">right next to a bar<\/a>, although most direct to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/@40.0839155,-82.9262917,3a,51.8y,96.96h,76.95t\/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1scwrTYFbrUs__X_WjLXdUXg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D13.053329426739836%26panoid%3DcwrTYFbrUs__X_WjLXdUXg%26yaw%3D96.96042427282131!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&amp;g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTIwOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D\">relatively normal-looking<\/a> childcare <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/@39.9389117,-82.8314499,3a,75y,261.83h,87.43t\/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sw8PA2XCn3KffNEExjzUcWw!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D2.574149843803667%26panoid%3Dw8PA2XCn3KffNEExjzUcWw%26yaw%3D261.8343822065665!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&amp;g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTIwOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D\">locations<\/a>. Rising Stars Day Care Center, one business listed under the Somali Education and Resource Center, maintains a website riddled with <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/risingstarscolumbus.com\/about-us\">spelling and grammatical errors<\/a> &mdash; even misspelling its own name at one point &mdash; while advertising itself as an educational facility in Ohio.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, which is responsible for certifying day cares in the state, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that it terminated its relationship with the Somali Education and Resource Center in June and that it has not received funds from the Department of Agriculture since.<\/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>Somali accounting firm tied to scrutinized nonprofits<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":894,"featured_media":2528852,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2249321702.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[70011,16020,16697],"class_list":["post-2528851","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-due-diligence","tag-nonprofits","tag-somalia"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2249321702.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2528851","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\/894"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2528851"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2528851\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2528860,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2528851\/revisions\/2528860"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2528852"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2528851"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2528851"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2528851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}