This is a December 29 story from the Minneapolis Star Tribune. I'd say they are probably as much, if not more, credible than a Youtuber. And they are closer to the story than the Daily Mail. This is also a politically charged issue for those who might want to do some research but I can't go into that in this forum. Is it wrong? Of course. Has it "rocked" the US? Hardly.
There is no direct evidence linking the broader Somali community in Minnesota to widespread fraud beyond allegations focused on specific individuals and cases. Federal prosecutors have charged 98 people in a sweeping investigation into fraud involving public programs, with 85 of those individuals being of Somali descent. These cases primarily involve schemes like the Feeding Our Future scandal, where individuals fraudulently claimed to provide meals to children during the pandemic and billed the state for services not rendered, resulting in estimated losses of up to $300 million. The alleged ringleader of that scheme, Aimee Bock, is white.
Additional cases include charges against eight individuals for defrauding the Housing Stabilization Services Program by falsely claiming to assist people transitioning from rehabilitation facilities, and a separate case involving false certifications for autism services. While these fraud cases have involved many individuals of Somali origin, federal prosecutors have not charged any defendants with providing material support to foreign terrorist organizations such as al-Shabab, despite claims by conservative sources linking the fraud to terrorism funding.
A viral video by right-wing influencer Nick Shirley claimed that Somali-run daycare centers in Minneapolis misappropriated over $100 million, but these claims remain unproven and have been met with skepticism. Some of the daycares visited by Shirley appeared closed or turned him away, though follow-up reporting found that several were operational and serving children. State and local officials have questioned the validity of the broader allegations, noting that while some facilities may have issues, there is no conclusive evidence of systemic fraud across the community.
Furthermore, a key source cited in a conservative report alleging connections between Minnesota fraud and al-Shabab funding later disputed the accuracy of the claims, stating that records were not pulled from Minnesota as reported and that he never visited the state. This has cast doubt on the strength of the evidence linking Somali community members in Minnesota to large-scale, organized fraud networks.
In summary, while numerous individuals of Somali descent have been charged in specific fraud cases, there is no verified evidence proving that the Somali community as a whole has engaged in fraud, nor has a link to terrorism been legally established. The allegations largely stem from isolated criminal cases and politically charged claims lacking comprehensive corroboration.
I did see on the national news today that Shirley visited a daycare center at 12 pm one day, claiming it was empty, and at 1pm cameras showed mothers dropping off their children at that particular center. If this is worth a thread, it's worth doing some research prior to piling on.
Who is Nick Shirley?
Shirley has not always presented himself as an “independent journalist” as he does now. His YouTube account’s early videos are more along the lines of “shock content” and pranks. Six years ago, as a 16 year-old, he
filmed himself flying to New York with his friends without parental consent. Three years after that, he posted a
video titled “I Tricked TikTokers Into Auditioning For a Justin Bieber Music Video.”
Though he found modest success with these videos, Shirley started really gaining views once he shifted focus to political issues.