Donald Trump has turned off the taps to suspected scammers in Minnesota after a bombshell report revealed mass-scale fraud in the state.
The US Department of Health and Human Services announced on Tuesday it would halt all childcare funding to the North Star State amid allegations of widespread fraud at largely Somali-run daycare centres.
"You have probably read the serious allegations that the state of Minnesota has funneled millions of taxpayer dollars to fraudulent daycares across Minnesota over the past decade," HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O'Neill wrote in a statement.
"We believe the state of Minnesota has allowed scammers and fake daycares to siphon millions of taxpayer dollars over the past decade," Mr O'Neill said.
He then went on to announce a string of new measures to tackle fraud across the country.
All payments from the Administration for Children and Families will now require justification along with receipts or photographic proof before funds are released to any state.
The decision followed a viral video from independent journalist Nick Shirley released last week.
Footage appeared to show numerous childcare facilities that were not operating - despite allegedly receiving millions in federal food aid meant for vulnerable children during the pandemic.
Donald Trump has turned off the taps to suspected scammers in Minnesota
|GETTY
He visited sites like a learning centre which he accused of pocketing millions in taxpayer cash.
And following his documentary, the HHS has also demanded that Governor Tim Walz provide a full audit of the centres featured in Mr Shirley's video.
This must include attendance records, licensing details, complaints, investigations and inspection reports.
HHS has also set up a telephone hotline for members of the public to report suspected fraud.
Just days earlier, FBI chief Kash Patel said the facts already out there were "just the tip of a very large iceberg" - and threatened convicted Somali scammers with deportation.
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Independent journalist Nick Shirley accused state authorities of allowing the 'largest fraud in US history' to go unchecked
| X/NICKSHIRLEYYAlex Adams, the assistant secretary for HHS's Administration for Children and Families, revealed his office provides Minnesota with $185million in childcare funding each year.
"That money should be helping 19,000 American children, including toddlers and infants. Any dollars stolen by fraudsters is stolen from those children," Mr Adams said.
He confirmed he had spoken with the head of Minnesota's Child Care Services office on Monday.
"She could not tell me with confidence whether those allegations of fraud are isolated or whether there's fraud stretching statewide," he revealed.
Governor Tim Walz has been ordered to carry out a full audit of the daycare centres implicated in the scandal
| REUTERSA spokesman for Governor Walz's office dismissed the federal action as politically driven.
"The Governor has been combatting fraud for years while the President has been letting fraudsters out of jail," the failed 2024 Vice Presidential candidate's spokesman blasted.
"Fraud is a serious issue. But this is a transparent attempt to politicize the issue to hurt Minnesotans and defund government programs that help people."