Somali Immigrant Fraud in Minnesota and the Collapse of State Oversight

When photos surfaced showing Somali criminal immigrant Abdul Dahir Ibrahim posing with prominent Minnesota Democrats, the images spread fast. People wanted to know why a man with a long record of fraud — and a long-standing deportation order — was anywhere near elected leaders. But the conversation didn’t stop with the photos. Instead, it kicked open a deeper discussion about Minnesota’s growing list of taxpayer-funded fraud scandals, including the massive Feeding Our Future pandemic case and even a recent decision by a judge to overturn a multimillion-dollar Medicaid-fraud conviction.

A lot has happened in Minnesota over the past few years, and each story connects to a much larger pattern: serious failures in state government oversight, slow responses by state agencies, and enormous losses of taxpayer money.

The Ibrahim Case: A Symbol of Bigger Problems

Abdul Dahir Ibrahim had a long history of fraud before U.S. authorities arrested him in December 2025. Before arriving in Minnesota, he’d already been convicted of asylum and welfare fraud in Canada. After his arrival, he was involved in additional criminal activity, including providing false information to police and driving without a valid license. Because of these offenses, he’d been under a deportation order since 2004. For years, though, that order wasn’t enforced.

So when photos emerged showing the Somali criminal immigrant standing next to Minnesota political figures, it didn’t sit well with the public. And honestly, it wasn’t just about him — it was about what he represented. His arrest happened at the same time Minnesota was dealing with some of the largest fraud cases in state history, many involving public-benefit programs. This was the moment people started connecting dots.

Feeding Our Future: The Massive $250M Pandemic Fraud Case

The Feeding Our Future scandal remains one of the biggest COVID-era fraud cases in America. Federal prosecutors charged dozens of Somali immigrants with stealing roughly $250 million from the federal child-nutrition program. That’s not speculation — that’s the number straight from federal indictments.

The scheme worked like this:

Fake meal sites were set up across Minnesota.
Fraudulent invoices were submitted to claim reimbursed meals.
Very few — if any — actual meals were served to children.
Those involved then spent the money on luxury cars, real estate, and travel.

Dozens of defendants have since pleaded guilty or been convicted. It’s a staggering case, and Minnesota is still dealing with the fallout.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller didn’t mince words. In an interview with Fox News, he called the scandal:

“the single greatest theft of taxpayer dollars through welfare fraud in American history.”

His comment reflected a growing national opinion: that this fraud wasn’t just large — it was a catastrophic failure of Minnesota state government oversight.

Scott Jensen: “Their timeline’s a year off.”

Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Dr. Scott Jensen also weighed in, specifically pointing the finger at Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota Department of Education. According to Jensen, the administration knew a serious problem existed a year earlier than they’ve publicly claimed.

Jensen told the New York Post:

“Tim Walz and the Minnesota Department of Education knew in 2020 that there was a problem… but they didn’t get the FBI involved until 2021. And yet they’ve made claims that as soon as they learned about it, they got the FBI involved. That’s not true. Their timeline’s a year off.”

This disagreement about the timeline matters. If state officials really waited a year to bring in federal investigators, that delay may have allowed the fraud to grow far beyond what it could have been.

And that’s exactly what many Minnesotans are concerned about.

Another Case That Shocked the State: Judge Overturns $7.2M Medicaid Fraud Conviction

As if Minnesota didn’t have enough controversy already, a judge recently overturned a $7.2 million Medicaid fraud conviction involving a Somali couple accused of using taxpayer money to fund luxury living. According to reporting, Judge Sarah West threw out the conviction, citing problems with how the evidence tied the couple directly to the fraudulent billing.

The case had drawn public outrage because of how the stolen money was allegedly spent — expensive clothing, high-end vehicles, and lavish travel. When the conviction was tossed, critics argued that Minnesota’s legal system was becoming too soft on major fraud cases.

The timing of the reversal made the situation even more volatile, landing right in the middle of public anger over Feeding Our Future and other ongoing investigations. For many Minnesotans, it felt like yet another example of accountability slipping through the cracks.

A Pattern That’s Hard to Ignore

When you step back and look at all of this together — the Feeding Our Future scandal, the overturned Medicaid-fraud conviction, and the Ibrahim arrest — the common threads become obvious:

Minnesota has a systemic oversight problem and a Somali criminal immigrant problem.

Millions of taxpayer dollars have been stolen or misused. Feeding Our Future alone costs $250 million, and state and federal investigators now estimate the total Medicaid fraud in Minnesota has climbed to roughly $1 billion, revealing just how widespread and organized these schemes have become. Warning signs were overlooked. And political leaders are still giving conflicting timelines about when they first knew something was wrong. This is why the outrage hasn’t died down.

Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, sent Governor Walz a letter giving Minnesota 60 days to comply with directives to clean up Medicaid fraud and abuse. Dr. Oz also released a public video:

You’ve probably heard the news by now: Minnesota fraudsters stole over $1 billion from Medicaid. And you deserve an explanation.

Our staff at CMS told me they’ve never seen anything like this in Medicaid — and everyone from Gov. Tim Walz on down needs to be investigated, because… pic.twitter.com/MFUoYYJoEa

— DrOzCMS (@DrOzCMS) December 5, 2025

Final Takeaway

Minnesota is dealing with some of the most expensive and embarrassing fraud cases in its history. The Somali Feeding Our Future scandal alone cost taxpayers about $250 million — a staggering failure during a time when public funds were meant to help families in crisis. Add in overturned convictions and delayed enforcement against Somali criminals like Ibrahim, and it’s clear the system has deep cracks.

The public isn’t asking for much: accountability, honesty, and basic competence from leaders who manage taxpayer money. Whether Minnesota can deliver that going forward remains an open question — but one thing is certain: people are paying attention now.

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