Washington — The House Oversight Committee is holding a hearing Wednesday on a series of multimillion-dollar pandemic fraud schemes in Minnesota, with testimony from state lawmakers who House Republicans say “sounded the alarm.”
Republican officials have argued for years that Minnesota was slow to act in what federal prosecutors described as the “largest pandemic fraud in the United States.” But the issue saw a resurgence late last year — and it hasn’t gone away, as the GOP puts pressure on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who announced this week that he was ending his reelection bid.
In December, House Republicans on the Oversight Committee launched an investigation into Walz’s handling of the fraud cases. And committee Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, invited the Minnesota governor and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison to testify before the committee next month.
“Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison have either been asleep at the wheel or complicit in a massive fraud involving taxpayer dollars in Minnesota’s social services programs,” Comer said in a statement announcing the hearing. “American taxpayers demand and deserve accountability for the theft of their hard-earned money.”
Comer said in addition to conducting transcribed interviews with Minnesota state officials, the panel would hold hearings on the fraud “to expose failures, identify solutions, and deliver accountability.”
Walz cited the fraud earlier this week in his decision to end his gubernatorial bid, acknowledging that in recent years, “an organized group of criminals have sought to take advantage of our state’s generosity.” He added that “even as we make progress in the fight against the fraudsters, we now see an organized group of political actors seeking to take advantage of the crisis.”
What to know about Minnesota fraud
Federal law enforcement officials say a litany of social service programs in Minnesota were targeted by fraudsters, including child nutrition, autism services and housing stabilization programs, in what one prosecutor described as “industrial-scale fraud.”
Some 92 people have faced federal charges so far, with 62 convicted.
The scandal began with allegations that people bilked nearly $250 million from a program that partnered with the Minnesota Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to distribute meals to children during the pandemic. Dozens of people have been convicted or pleaded guilty to collecting reimbursements for meals that weren’t actually served.
Prosecutors have also charged over a dozen people with submitting phony reimbursements to a now-defunct program that helped seniors and people with disabilities find housing — including two Pennsylvanians who allegedly traveled to Minnesota in what officials described as “fraud tourism.” And a program that funds therapy for children with autism was allegedly hit with fraud.
And a conservative YouTuber alleged nearly a dozen day care centers in Minnesota that are receiving public funds are not actually providing any services. Some of the day care centers and state regulators have pushed back on those allegations.
Walz has faced criticism for his handling of the fraud schemes, with watchdog agencies and Republican lawmakers arguing the state government missed warning signs and moved too slowly to shut down fraudulent payments.
The governor has long defended his handling of the crisis, arguing he has moved quickly to halt fraud and refer people for criminal prosecution.
Meanwhile, President Trump has focused on the fact that most — but not all — of the fraud defendants are of Somali descent, drawing backlash from local officials like Walz, who called the president’s comments “vile, racist lies and slander.”
How to watch the Minnesota fraud hearing
- What: Hearing on “Oversight of Fraud and Misuse of Federal Funds in Minnesota: Part I”
- Date: Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026
- Time: 10 a.m. ET
- Online stream: Live in the player above.
