Independent journalist Nick Shirley appealed directly to Donald Trump on Monday, calling for action over alleged fraud in Minnesota after a video he posted online went viral.
Shirley made the remarks during an appearance on The Big Weekend Show, where he claimed to have uncovered further evidence linked to allegedly disused daycare centres across the state.
Viral video sparks national attention
Shirley posted a 42-minute video documenting visits to several childcare facilities in Minnesota, questioning whether they were operational despite receiving government funding.
“There better be change because, like I said, we work way too hard to be paying taxes,” Shirley said. “We work way too hard to be not knowing where our money is going.”
Addressing Trump directly, he added: “If President Trump’s watching this, it’s time to really get down to nitty-gritty and to make a difference in this place of Minnesota.”
🚨 Here is the full 42 minutes of my crew and I exposing Minnesota fraud, this might be my most important work yet. We uncovered over $110,000,000 in ONE day. Like it and share it around like wildfire! Its time to hold these corrupt politicians and fraudsters accountable
We ALL… pic.twitter.com/E3Penx2o7a
— Nick shirley (@nickshirleyy) December 26, 2025
Fraud allegations under growing scrutiny
The comments come as Minnesota faces heightened scrutiny over alleged fraud involving government-funded programmes. In December, the state’s acting US attorney said $9 billion or more in federal funds allocated to 14 state-run programmes since 2018 may have been stolen.
The Associated Press, citing the US Attorney’s Office for Minnesota, reported that Somali Americans accounted for 89% of those charged in connection with the cases as of December 19. Trump has repeatedly criticised Minnesota’s large Somali community in recent weeks.
Major cases and political fallout
Federal investigations into large-scale racketeering schemes have already led to multiple convictions. One of the most prominent cases involved Feeding Our Future, a federally funded non-profit that the Department of Justice says stole $250 million during the Covid pandemic.
According to Kash Patel, the investigation resulted in 78 indictments and 58 convictions.
A spokesperson for Minnesota Governor Tim Walz told Fox News that Walz has spent years working to crack down on fraud and strengthen oversight of state programmes, including by launching investigations into certain facilities.
Walz, who is seeking a third term, has faced sustained Republican criticism over fraud cases that occurred during his tenure.
Claims highlighted in Shirley’s footage
Shirley’s video has been viewed more than 100 million times on X since it was posted. One facility featured, the Quality Learning Center in south Minneapolis, appeared closed despite being licensed to serve up to 99 children.
Shirley also displayed what he said was a receipt showing $1.9 million in payments from Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Program. Newsweek reported it could not independently verify the payments or confirm Shirley’s claims.
“If you’re living in Minnesota, you have to raise your eyebrows and think, what’s going on,” Shirley said. “A kindergartener could figure out that there’s fraud going on.”
Federal response and investigations
Patel said the FBI has deployed additional personnel and investigative resources to Minnesota to dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs.
He added that while the FBI was aware of recent social media reports, the agency increased its presence in Minnesota even before public attention escalated online.
