{"id":2535218,"date":"2026-01-13T15:37:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T20:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-attorney-for-minnesota-who-led-fraud-charges-resigns\/"},"modified":"2026-01-13T15:39:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T20:39:09","slug":"us-attorney-for-minnesota-who-led-fraud-charges-resigns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-attorney-for-minnesota-who-led-fraud-charges-resigns\/","title":{"rendered":"US attorney for Minnesota who led fraud charges resigns"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/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%2Fus-attorney-for-minnesota-who-led-fraud-charges-resigns%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=2535218&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>Joe Thompson, a senior federal prosecutor who <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >helped lead sprawling fraud investigations<\/a> in Minnesota, has resigned from the U.S. AttorneyS Office. Thompson &#8211; who served as acting U.S. attorney in 2025 before returning to an assistant U.S. attorney role &#8211; was a lead figure in major cases including the Feeding Our Future prosecution (about 78 defendants and roughly $250 million alleged stolen) and other probes of Medicaid-related programs, with officials saying total losses across multiple programs could exceed $9 billion and the DOJ charging nearly 98 defendants.Reports say Thompson and five other Minnesota DOJ prosecutors quit in part because they objected to the department&#8217;s handling of the investigation into the killing of Renee Good and its decision to probe her widow, and because the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was excluded from the inquiry. Thompson&#8217;s resignation email gave no further details, and the DOJ did not comment in the article.  <\/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\">Top federal prosecutor in Minnesota and leading voice on fraud scandal resigns from US attorney&rsquo;s office<\/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_2472020\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The attorney who helped bring federal charges against dozens of defendants accused of defrauding <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/minnesota\/\">Minnesota<\/a> of billions in taxpayer dollars resigned from the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/justice-department\/\">Justice Department<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Joe Thompson, who served as Minnesota&rsquo;s acting U.S. attorney, has resigned from the U.S. Attorney&rsquo;s Office, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.startribune.com\/joe-thompson-us-attorney-who-uncovered-massive-fraud-in-minnesota-resigns-from-office\/601563206\">according to <\/a>an email from him cited by the <em>Minnesota Star Tribune<\/em>. Thompson&rsquo;s email did not offer further details about his resignation, according to the outlet.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4417165\/gop-lawmakers-blast-bill-clinton-decision-miss-deposition\/\">GOP lawmakers blast Clinton&rsquo;s &lsquo;disappointing&rsquo; decision to miss deposition<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4415304\/supreme-court-defining-sex-transgender-sports-bans\/\">Supreme Court considers how defining sex would affect transgender sports bans<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4417233\/gavin-newsom-blasts-proposed-california-billionaire-tax-door-open-national-debate\/\">Newsom blasts proposed California billionaire tax but keeps door open to national debate<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Underlying reasons for Thompson&rsquo;s departure include his objections over how the DOJ is approaching the death of a Minnesota woman who was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer last week, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/01\/13\/us\/prosecutors-doj-resignation-ice-shooting.html#:~:text=After%20Ms.%20Good%20was%20shot,as%20a%20%E2%80%9Cdomestic%20terrorist.%E2%80%9D\">according to <\/a>the <em>New York Times<\/em> and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/gvwire.com\/2026\/01\/13\/3-minnesota-prosecutors-quit-after-push-to-investigate-ice-shooting-victims-widow\/\">other outlets<\/a>. Thompson and five other leading DOJ prosecutors in Minnesota resigned on Tuesday over concerns about the agency&rsquo;s move to investigate the widow of Renee Good, according to reports. Thompson, Harry Jacobs, Melinda Williams, and Thomas Calhoun-Lopez&nbsp;also expressed concern that Minnesota&rsquo;s public investigative agency was not a part of the investigation into Good&rsquo;s death, as Washington argued that the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension had &ldquo;no jurisdiction&rdquo; over the incident, according to the outlets.<\/p>\n<p>The development comes after Thompson, as well as Jacobs, helped helm the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4409731\/doj-prosecutors-minnesota-widening-fraud-investigation\/\">Justice Department&rsquo;s investigation<\/a> into concerns that Minnesota welfare programs suffered from gross management, allowing for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/treasury-department-investigating-apparent-taxpayer-funding-of-terror-organization-under-biden-and-walz\/\" title=\"Treasury Department Investigating Apparent Taxpayer Funding of Terror Organization Under Biden and Walz\">massive fraud schemes<\/a> to take place for years.<\/p>\n<p>By December 2025, Thompson said he believed the total amount defrauded from 14 Medicaid programs in Minnesota could surpass $9 billion.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;What we see in Minnesota is not a handful of bad actors committing crimes,&rdquo; Thompson said at a press conference. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/over-9-billion-looted-from-minnesota-medicaid-programs-in-massive-fraud-scheme-feds\/\" title=\"Over  Billion Looted from ... Medicaid Programs in Massive ... Scheme: Feds\">staggering industrial-scale fraud<\/a>. It&rsquo;s swamping Minnesota and calling into question everything we know about our state.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Thompson was appointed acting U.S. attorney of Minnesota by President Donald Trump in May 2025. He served in the role until <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-mn\/staff-profile\/meet-us-attorney\">Daniel Rosen<\/a> took office as U.S. attorney last October, after which he was described by the DOJ as an assistant U.S. attorney.<\/p>\n<p>He was the lead prosecutor in the massive <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/compliance\/criminal-investigation\/minneapolis-woman-pleads-guilty-in-250-million-feeding-our-future-fraud-scheme\">Feeding Our Future<\/a> food fraud case, leading the DOJ in charging <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-mn\/pr\/78th-defendant-charged-feeding-our-future-fraud-scheme?bm-verify=AAQAAAAM_____5PWqO57FUZtZ9Kel0L2ZHG00S5VftDyLiCl0g9d06-VG6sJOP6QeKF1JfRw5vkN8TXtJex1vlnu1yof3-j0jnJi7ZT16KIn0O7MzVizpKHUGlo0w619372FKhaKiAkt87UuNv0eJUb9hOyF3SDXzoi-Sy4hXd1-hQhjwjUYxXOo7vT5O51QcatyPFWrIlJXW8o4j64jvRYB1-TruVhfA4V8W04UXdvqT2NRxyQP4aBrl0Or2jeQHbWsZ3z8Z0Kw5rrO6zYYRwkYFzrfnd4x_h7AJFfafWes1pmTSfLTQJHQs9BM9Kujl-1BlVgx0MtbsJTWNgs5aV-1_oqBmxZxbVx20JL8Lfzjo_xBMcCA\">at least 78 defendants<\/a> accused of stealing $250 million from the state &ldquo;in the largest Covid-19 fraud scheme in the country.&rdquo; The Feeding Our Futures case was the &ldquo;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/abc3340.com\/news\/nation-world\/tip-of-a-very-large-iceberg-feds-surge-response-to-minnesota-fraud-investigations-tim-walz-nick-shirley-somali-fbi-kash-patel\">tip of a very large iceberg<\/a>&rdquo; indicative of a wider scandal, according to authorities.<\/p>\n<p>Thompson and Jacobs also led the prosecutions <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-mn\/pr\/six-additional-defendants-charged-one-defendant-pleads-guilty-ongoing-fraud-schemes\">targeting allegations of fraud <\/a>in another state program that provided services to children with autism. By December, prosecutors had charged at least six defendants with involvement in defrauding the Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention benefit of at least $14 million. They additionally led prosecutions of multiple people charged with defrauding the state&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-mn\/pr\/six-additional-defendants-charged-one-defendant-pleads-guilty-ongoing-fraud-schemes\">Housing Stabilization Services program<\/a>, which is a Medicaid benefit designed to provide housing services to vulnerable populations. To date, the DOJ has charged 98 defendants in Minnesota fraud-related cases, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/fact-sheets\/2026\/01\/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-establishes-new-department-of-justice-division-for-national-fraud-enforcement\/\">according to<\/a> the Trump administration.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/4408743\/trump-10-billion-cut-child-care-funding\/\"><strong>TRUMP TO CUT $10 BILLION IN CHILD CARE FUNDING FOR FIVE BLUE STATES<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;To be clear, this is not an isolated scheme,&rdquo; Thompson <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-mn\/pr\/first-defendant-charged-autism-fraud-scheme-0\">said<\/a>. &ldquo;From Feeding Our Future to Housing Stabilization Services and now Autism Services, these <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-terminates-immigrant-tps-status-in-minnesota-to-destroy-hub-of-money-laundering-under-governor-walz\/\" title=\"Trump Terminates Immigrant TPS Status in ... to Destroy &#039;Hub of... Money Laundering&#039; Under Governor Walz\">massive fraud schemes form<\/a> a web that has stolen billions of dollars in taxpayer money.&nbsp; Each case we bring exposes another strand of this network.&nbsp;The challenge is immense, but our work continues.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>reached out to<em> <\/em>the DOJ for comment, but did not receive a reply.<\/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>Top Minnesota federal prosecutor Joe Thompson quits<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2535219,"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\/2459745_sd_69555c4174d9a_1767201857.jpg?w=640","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[50752,57414,5698,6522,33577],"class_list":["post-2535218","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-federal-prosecutor","tag-fraud-charges","tag-minnesota","tag-resignation","tag-us-attorney"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/2459745_sd_69555c4174d9a_1767201857.jpg?w=640","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2535218","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\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2535218"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2535218\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2535222,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2535218\/revisions\/2535222"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2535219"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2535218"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2535218"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2535218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}