Vance: Federal Probe Examines Minnesota Officials' Knowledge of Fraud

Vice President JD Vance stated in an interview that federal investigators are examining Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and other state officials regarding their knowledge of a significant human services fraud scheme in the state. Vance said the fraud involves billions of dollars and affects resources for poor children. He made these comments on Fox News’ “The Will Cain Show” on Wednesday.

Agents from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security conducted raids on more than 20 businesses across Minnesota on Tuesday. These actions are part of efforts to address human services fraud in the state. Vance, appointed by President Trump as head of a federal task force on fraud in March, said the task force received limited assistance from Walz’s office.

He noted that some state and local law enforcement officers provided help instead.

Vance stated that multiple Minnesota authorities may have ignored the fraud. He said investigators are determining if officials knew about the scheme as it occurred. The fraud scheme reportedly involves owners of child care centers and other businesses submitting false billing statements for services, leading to the misappropriation of taxpayer dollars.

Vance said the investigation will evaluate if the oversight was criminal.

Vance commented on posts by Walz on X, where the governor stated that fraud in Minnesota would be addressed through joint state and federal efforts. Walz announced in January that he would not seek reelection. Vance compared Walz's statements to an arsonist claiming credit for firefighters' work. The raids targeted nearly two-dozen businesses, including a child care center.

Vance attributed part of the issue to policies under the Biden administration that allowed entry of individuals claiming refugee or asylum status. He said some of these individuals appeared to acquire wealth quickly without employment, suggesting fraud.

Vance stated that the Trump administration would consider deporting or denaturalizing immigrants convicted of such fraud. Walz’s office did not respond to a request for comment.