By Gloria Ogbonna
Vice President JD Vance has publicly praised independent YouTuber Nick Shirley for his investigative reporting into alleged large-scale fraud in the state of Minnesota, asserting that Shirley’s work surpasses that of the mainstream media and even recent Pulitzer Prize–winning journalism.
In a post shared on X, Vance lauded Shirley’s reporting after a video surfaced detailing what Shirley described as widespread financial misconduct involving public funds.
“This dude has done far more useful journalism than any of the winners of the 2024 @pulitzercenter prizes,” Vance wrote, drawing sharp contrast between grassroots investigative reporting and legacy media institutions.
Vance’s remarks came in response to a viral video posted by Shirley, in which the YouTuber and his team documented what they called “Minnesota fraud.” According to Shirley, the investigation uncovered more than $110 million in questionable spending in a single day.
“Here is the full 42 minutes of my crew and I exposing Minnesota fraud—this might be my most important work yet,” Shirley wrote in his post. “We uncovered over $110,000,000 in ONE day. Like it and share it around like wildfire. It’s time to hold these corrupt politicians and fraudsters accountable.”
The revelations quickly gained traction online, drawing commentary from conservative figures and journalists. Conservative activist Benny Johnson highlighted the scale of the alleged misconduct, stating that Shirley had “exposed over $100 million in Minnesota Somali fraud,” which he claimed was funneled through fake daycare centers and fraudulent healthcare operations.
The controversy also reached Capitol Hill. According to a report by Breitbart News journalist Lowell Cauffiel, Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) demanded answers from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) after one of Shirley’s videos went viral.
The footage showed Shirley confronting staff at an alleged daycare facility that had reportedly received millions of dollars in federal aid to care for as many as 99 children—despite showing no visible signs of operation.
Shirley visited a facility known as the “Quality Learning Center” in South Minneapolis and reported multiple red flags. Among them was a misspelling on the building’s sign, where the word “learning” appeared as “learing.” As Shirley approached the site, an unidentified woman could be heard shouting, “Don’t open up,” while incorrectly claiming that Shirley and his companion were Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
The YouTuber’s findings appear to align with a report released by City Journal in November, which cited federal counterterrorism sources claiming that millions of dollars in stolen funds from Minnesota had been sent overseas to Somalia. According to the report, some of that money allegedly ended up in the hands of Al-Shabaab, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.
“In many cases, the fraud has allegedly been perpetrated by members of Minnesota’s sizeable Somali community,” the report stated. One confidential source was quoted as saying, “The largest funder of Al-Shabaab is the Minnesota taxpayer.”
Following the report’s release and the growing public scrutiny, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the Treasury Department would investigate allegations that Minnesota taxpayer funds were being diverted to Al-Shabaab. The investigation aims to determine whether public money was misappropriated and routed to terrorist-linked entities.
The fallout has also reached the education sector. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has reportedly called on Governor Walz to resign amid allegations of widespread education-related fraud within Minnesota’s college system, further intensifying pressure on state leadership.
As the story continues to unfold, Shirley’s reporting has fueled a broader debate over government oversight, misuse of taxpayer funds, and the role of independent journalists in uncovering stories that critics argue are often overlooked or underreported by traditional media outlets.
source Breitbart
Original article
Comments