Somali-run MN daycare linked to fraud claims without evidence child records were 'stolen' and office was ransacked

A Minneapolis day care center tied to the vast human services fraud investigation in Minnesota is claiming that “important documents” were stolen in an alleged break-in, even as authorities continue to uncover what they say could be billions of dollars in fraudulent payments across food, housing, and child care programs in the state.

Nokomis Day Care Center, which is Somali-run, reported that someone entered the facility and removed sensitive records just as national attention has focused on the state’s handling of public assistance funds. The center’s account has not been independently verified, and authorities have not publicly confirmed that a burglary occurred, according to the New York Post. 

According to manager Nasrulah Mohamed, a suspect allegedly entered through a rear kitchen area, damaged part of a wall, and accessed the office sometime on Tuesday. Mohamed claimed the items taken included children’s enrollment information, employee records, and checkbooks. No surveillance footage or police findings have been released to substantiate the claims.

The allegation comes as investigators say at least $1 billion in fraud has already been uncovered in Minneapolis-related cases, with warnings from authorities that the total could reach as high as $9 billion. Ninety-two people have been arrested so far in connection with the broader scheme, including 80 Somali immigrants, according to officials.

Mohamed attributed the alleged incident to a viral video posted last week by YouTuber Nick Shirley, who visited nearly a dozen day care facilities while claiming to look for signs of fraud. Mohamed accused the video of triggering harassment and blamed it for the supposed theft, despite acknowledging that Nokomis Day Care Center was not featured in the footage.

“This is devastating news, and we don’t know why this is targeting our Somali community as one video made by a specific individual made this all happen,” Mohamed said, claiming the center received “hateful” and “threatening” messages. He also described Shirley’s reporting as “false.”

The video has been viewed more than 110 million times and emerged as state and federal authorities increased enforcement actions related to alleged misuse of public funds.

On Tuesday night, the US Department of Health and Human Services announced it was freezing all child care payments to Minnesota unless proof is provided that the payments are legitimate. The freeze affects roughly $185 million issued in 2025 alone and follows mounting concerns that oversight failures allowed widespread abuse of taxpayer-funded programs.

Officials have said the pause is intended to prevent further losses while investigations continue. The probe spans multiple assistance programs and remains ongoing, with additional arrests expected.

At this stage, authorities have not confirmed the reported burglary, identified a suspect, or stated whether any documents were actually missing.