The Somali Fraud Ring in Minnesota. The Facts.

Minnesota’s social safety net has been severely undermined by fraud schemes that authorities say siphoned off more than $1 billion in taxpayer funds intended for child nutrition, homeless assistance, and autism therapy programs.

According to a New York Times investigation, over the past five years, individuals, primarily from Somali communities, enriched themselves by operating companies that billed the state millions of dollars for social services that were never provided.

Federal prosecutors have charged 86 people in connection with three distinct fraud rings, with 59 already convicted.