Vice President JD Vance announced Monday that he has referred allegations of fraud within Minnesota’s federally funded social services programs to the Department of Justice’s National Fraud Enforcement Division for criminal investigation.
In a letter to Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald, Vance cited a report from House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer alleging senior Minnesota officials failed to address widespread fraud despite repeated warnings. The report, released Monday, claims concerns were raised to officials in Governor Tim Walz’s administration and Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office as early as 2019, yet corrective action was delayed or avoided while payments continued.
According to the allegations outlined in the letter, state officials ignored evidence of fraud, retaliated against employees and whistleblowers who attempted to raise concerns, and allowed an estimated $300 million in federal funds and potentially billions in Medicaid-related funds to be lost or placed at risk. The report also alleges some fraudulently obtained funds may have been diverted to international terrorist networks.
Vance urged the Justice Department to work with federal prosecutors and investigators to determine whether any state officials violated federal criminal law.
Source: Vice President JD Vance on X
