Crime

Minnesota’s Billion Dollar Fraud Puts Omar and Walz Under the Microscope

Published

2 months ago

December 9, 2025

VORNews

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota – In the dense, bustling streets of Cedar-Riverside, where Somali and American flags hang side by side, and the smell of spiced tea lingers in the cold air, a massive fraud case has shaken one of Minnesota’s most tight-knit immigrant communities.

What started as an inquiry into pandemic-era child nutrition programs has grown into what federal prosecutors call the largest welfare fraud case in U.S. history, a $1 billion theft of funds meant for low-income families, schools, and children.

Caught in the center of the political firestorm is U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., whose push to expand child nutrition access during COVID-19 is now being reviewed for its unintended, or possibly ignored, fallout.

Federal officials refer to the case as the “Feeding Our Future” fraud. Dozens of people have been charged, including 79 defendants of Somali descent, in a state that hosts the largest Somali population in the country.

Prosecutors describe a network of fake nonprofits, ghost meal claims, and money laundering schemes that siphoned money from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Child Nutrition Programs.

Shell companies allegedly submitted bills for meals that never existed, then channeled the money into luxury cars, international transfers, and, under current Treasury Department review, suspected links to the Somalia-based terror group Al-Shabaab.

Minnesota Whistleblowers Come Forward

Whistleblowers from the Minnesota Department of Human Services say state leaders brushed aside early warnings. As those claims surface, critics are asking whether Omar’s drive to ease rules on child nutrition funding created a perfect opening for fraud, and how closely she and her allies crossed paths with those now convicted.

Omar, a former nutrition educator and anti-hunger organizer who represents Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, has built much of her political identity on feeding children and fighting poverty. In 2020, when COVID school closures cut off daily meals for roughly 30 million students, she sponsored the bipartisan Maintaining Essential Access to Lunch for Students (MEALS) Act.

Folded into the sweeping CARES Act under emergency authority, the law approved waivers meant to speed payments to off-site meal providers. The waivers relaxed routine audits and paperwork to move food to families faster. On the House floor, she argued that “bureaucracy” should not block hungry children from getting food, pointing to her own experience as a Somali refugee.

The measure passed with broad support and opened the door to about $250 million in additional federal child nutrition funds for Minnesota alone. Those dollars now sit at the heart of the fraud case. Prosecutors say many defendants used the very waivers approved during the pandemic to flood the system with fake invoices for meals that were never served.

Feeding Our Future, the nonprofit at the center of the scandal, allegedly moved tens of millions through a maze of businesses, including Somali-owned restaurants and sports clubs that reported feeding thousands of children per day. Investigators say in many cases the sites produced little to no food at all. Of the 87 people charged so far, a large share live in Omar’s district, turning what she once hailed as a policy win into a political liability.

Ilhan Omar Denies Everything

Omar’s office flatly rejects any suggestion that she aided or tolerated the fraud. “Rep. Omar fought to feed children during a crisis, not to enable theft,” said spokesperson Jeremy Slevin in a written statement. “Any claim that she is complicit is a baseless smear pushed by people who want to weaponize a tragedy against immigrants.”

During an appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation” last weekend, Omar condemned the fraud and its fallout in her own community. “Somalis are taxpayers too, and this hurts us all,” she said. She argued that warning signs were missed across many levels of government, calling the failure “systemic” and saying the breakdown came from weak federal oversight, not one piece of legislation. She also urged deeper probes into potential terrorism links and described any lapse in surveillance as “a failure of the FBI and courts.”

Even so, the personal and political connections around her are drawing new attention. Court records, campaign filings, and public photos show that Omar has had social and professional ties with several people now accused or convicted in related cases. In November 2018, she held her historic congressional victory party at Safari Restaurant on Lake Street, a well-known Somali restaurant partly owned by Salim Ahmed Said.

Said, 33, was convicted in March on 21 counts of wire fraud, bribery, and money laundering after prosecutors said he stole $5 million in child nutrition money. Safari claimed reimbursements for serving 5,000 meals a day to children.

Investigators say the records were fake and that the money helped pay for a Tesla, Rolex watches, and wire transfers to Somalia. Omar, a frequent customer at Safari, paid more than $10,000 to the restaurant for campaign events during her time as a state lawmaker and later as a congressional candidate, according to Federal Election Commission reports.

Links to Ilhan Omar

Another link runs through Guhaad Hashi Said, a Democratic political organizer who worked as Omar’s main “get-out-the-vote” force in the Somali community in the 2018 and 2020 election cycles. Hashi pleaded guilty in August to stealing $1.5 million from a youth athletic program that existed mostly on paper. Photos show Omar and Hashi together at marches and campaign events, sometimes with arms linked.

House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., has subpoenaed documents related to Hashi’s work and claims he functioned less as a volunteer and more as a political enforcer. “Omar’s inner circle profited while kids went hungry,” Comer said in a statement. “This isn’t coincidence; it’s corruption.”

The financial and social network stretches beyond her campaign staff. Federal campaign records show donors with ties to the Feeding Our Future scandal, including relatives of some defendants, gave about $7,400 to Omar’s political committees. Prosecutors now say part of that money can be traced back to the fraudulent nutrition payments.

A former staff member, Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, has been charged in a separate Medicaid fraud case that investigators say touches some of the same circles. Immigration and Customs Enforcement also released photos of Omar standing with Abdul Dahir Ibrahim, a Somali man living in the U.S. illegally who has a 2004 deportation order and a conviction for identity fraud.

Federal records connect Ibrahim to the Feeding Our Future case. He was arrested last week as part of a high-profile immigration sweep ordered by the Trump administration. In other photos, Ibrahim appears smiling beside Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, D, at community gatherings, next to letters of support from allies such as state Sen. Omar Fateh.

Tim Walz Plays the Fool

Gov. Walz, Omar’s longtime political partner and now the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, faces his own set of allegations tied to the scandal. Former Minnesota Department of Human Services employees say senior officials in his administration suppressed fraud reports in the name of “equity” in districts with large immigrant populations.

They claim data was deleted and investigators were punished or sidelined when they pushed concerns. “Under Walz, we were told to look the other way,” one DHS worker told Fox News anonymously. Walz’s office denies those charges and insists that any oversight gaps came from federal speed and confusion during the pandemic response.

Comer has expanded his inquiry to include Walz, issuing subpoenas for emails between his office and Omar’s office. Those records cover joint appearances at Somali cultural events where some of the accused fraudsters were present.

Omar and Walz share long-standing political ties inside Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. Walz has appointed several of Omar’s allies to state commissions and boards, and she campaigned for his 2022 reelection.

Their shared photos with Ibrahim, posted by DHS, have stirred anger among critics who see a pattern of favoritism. “It’s not just photos; it’s a pattern of ignoring risks in the name of representation,” said Bill Glahn, a fellow at the Center of the American Experiment, a conservative policy group.

In a written statement, Walz said the recent arrests show that “justice is blind,” while also defending Minnesota’s Somali community as “essential to our economy.”

Omar’s Wealth Questioned

At the same time, questions about Omar’s personal finances have resurfaced and are feeding public unease. Her 2024 financial disclosure, filed in May 2025, lists her household net worth in a range between $6 million and $30 million, a dramatic jump from her 2019 filing, which reported a negative $45,000. Most of the increase stems from her husband Tim Mynett’s business interests.

He owns Rose Lake Capital, a Washington, D.C., investment firm valued at between $5 million and $25 million, which claims to oversee about $60 billion in assets. He also has a stake in eStCru Wines, a California wine company valued at between $1 million and $5 million.

Omar reported no personal income from these companies, though conservative outlets like the Washington Free Beacon have questioned the timing and highlighted that Mynett’s firm advertises experience in “structuring legislation,” a phrase that echoes her MEALS Act effort.

Omar has waved off these reports as partisan attacks. In February, she called them “right-wing disinformation” and said she is “barely worth thousands,” pointing to student loan debt and a lack of real estate or stock holdings.

Fact-checking site Snopes has explained that the upper estimate in her disclosure reflects the full range of her spouse’s assets, not her individual wealth. Based on those filings, her personal net worth likely sits somewhere between $65,000 and $115,000.

Even so, in a district wrestling with the fallout from a major fraud scandal, many residents say the optics are hard to ignore. “She’s one of us, but how does her family thrive while we scrape by?” asked Amina Hassan, a Somali mother of three, during a recent community forum in Minneapolis.

As Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent promises to follow the stolen money “to the Middle East and Somalia,” the case has grown into more than a discussion about missing dollars. It has exposed deep tensions in Minnesota’s progressive project and raised sharp questions about how to support new Americans without opening the door to abuse.

Omar, who remains defiant on X, urged residents to stay focused on fair treatment. “This isn’t about race; it’s about accountability,” she wrote. With criminal trials approaching and the 2026 midterm elections moving closer, her once-rising profile in national politics now faces steady scrutiny.

For families like the Hassans, the sense of betrayal cuts straight to daily life. “We trusted the system to feed our kids,” Amina said, staring at the boarded-up doors of a meal site that once handed out free food boxes.

“Now it’s feeding doubt.” As federal agents and auditors sort through records and bank transfers, Minnesota waits, not only for convictions and sentences, but for some path toward healing in a community that feels both targeted and abandoned.

Crime

ICU Nurse Alex Pretti Shot and Killed By Federal Agents in Minneapolis

Published

2 hours ago

January 25, 2026

Jeffrey Thomas

MINNESOTA – Alex Pretti was shot and killed in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026, and the fallout has spread far beyond the city. The case has sparked a national argument over the use of force, federal power, and how states should respond to immigration enforcement.

What appears to have started as a federal immigration operation ended with a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, and ICU nurse, dead at the scene.

Soon after, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi called on Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to bring state agencies in line with federal immigration work. Her public push has made an already tense state-federal relationship even more strained, especially in places that lean toward sanctuary-style policies.

On the cold Saturday morning in south Minneapolis, U.S. Border Patrol agents working as part of broader immigration crackdowns under the Trump administration encountered Alex Jeffrey Pretti.

Federal officials first said Alex Pretti was armed and aggressively moved toward agents, leading them to shoot in self-defense. Pretti, who worked as a registered nurse in intensive care at a local VA facility, was hit multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene.

Videos posted quickly to social media showed a different picture. In clips filmed from several angles, Pretti appears to be holding a cellphone, not a gun, as he walks toward the agents. The videos spread fast and drove immediate claims of excessive force and a possible attempt to control the story.

People in the area described Alex Pretti as quiet and community-minded, with no criminal history. Many called the shooting senseless. Within hours, memorials appeared near the site, and vigils drew dozens of neighbors mourning a local man killed during what they saw as an avoidable escalation.

Investigations are still underway. Body camera footage from agents and more witness statements are being reviewed. The Department of Homeland Security has defended the agents, saying they faced a threat while carrying out an operation aimed at immigration violators in the area.

Critics, including civil rights groups, say the incident fits a wider pattern of federal agents working in major cities far from the border, raising concerns about expanded missions and lost trust in communities.

Alex Pretti: Remembering the Man Behind the Headline

Alex Pretti worked in a job where the pressure is constant. As an ICU nurse, he spent his career caring for critically ill patients, often during long and demanding shifts. Friends and coworkers described him as kind, committed, and interested in local issues, though not known as a loud activist.

His death has also triggered anger because he was a U.S. citizen. Many have asked how a native-born American ended up in the middle of an immigration-related operation.

Reports suggest Alex Pretti may have been near a residence agents were focusing on, or he may have been passing by when the encounter began. He grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and later moved to Minnesota for work and community ties.

The claim that he was unarmed, or at least not visibly holding a weapon, has intensified demands for clear answers and public accountability.

Federal Reaction and Pam Bondi’s Pressure Campaign

Within hours of the shooting, Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a sharp letter to Governor Tim Walz. She used the moment to push Minnesota to cooperate more with federal immigration enforcement. Bondi accused state leaders of refusing to fully support federal immigration laws, and she argued that this refusal puts federal agents at risk and weakens national security.

In the letter, Bondi urged Walz to direct state detention facilities, including jails and prisons, to honor ICE detainers, allow immigration interviews, and assist with removals for people identified as removable non-citizens. She said Minnesota’s sanctuary-leaning policies do not just slow enforcement, they make situations more dangerous for officers during field operations.

Bondi’s message came with a clear warning. She called for state support for federal efforts and alignment with national immigration policy, or the state could face consequences. She framed her stance as part of a push for uniform enforcement across the country.

The timing, so soon after Alex Pretti ’s death, drew criticism from people who said she was turning a tragedy into a political weapon. Supporters said she was responding to unrest and a growing safety risk for agents.

Protests started in Minneapolis almost right away. Demonstrators called the shooting another sign of heavy-handed federal tactics, especially in immigrant neighborhoods and communities of color. Many chants focused on “justice for Alex,” along with broader demands to end ICE activity in the city. Some gatherings grew tense, leading to arrests and a larger law enforcement presence.

Governor Walz’s Response and a Familiar State-Federal Standoff

Governor Tim Walz answered publicly with a careful tone. He offered condolences to Pretti’s loved ones and called for a full, independent investigation. Walz also criticized the use of Border Patrol in city neighborhoods, saying the federal deployment was inflammatory and not needed.

Walz has long backed Minnesota’s approach to immigration enforcement, which aims to protect community trust and limits local law enforcement involvement in federal civil immigration actions.

He rejected Bondi’s demands, arguing that state resources should not be pulled into what he views as a politically driven federal plan. In one statement, Walz called on the Trump administration to pull agents back and let local agencies handle public safety without federal interference.

This back-and-forth reflects a deeper divide. Federal leaders want consistent enforcement nationwide, while states argue they should control local policing and detention decisions. Minnesota’s approach, like policies in other Democratic-led states, is built around the idea that fear of deportation can stop people from reporting crimes or seeking help.

Bigger Stakes: Immigration Enforcement Back in the Spotlight

Pretti’s death comes during a period of increased federal immigration activity after the 2024 election. Operations in sanctuary cities have expanded, and agencies such as Border Patrol have taken on more interior enforcement work. Critics say these tactics threaten civil liberties and raise the chance of violent confrontations. Supporters argue the government is enforcing the law and removing people who pose risks.

The Pretti case, where a U.S. citizen died during an immigration-linked encounter, highlights what can happen when enforcement expands beyond its usual setting. It also echoes past disputes over federal use of force and adds fuel to debates about qualified immunity, de-escalation training, and outside oversight.

Bondi’s letter also raises the pressure. By tying the tragedy to state non-cooperation, the Justice Department appears to be trying to push Minnesota into changing its stance. Tools could include subpoenas, funding threats, and lawsuits, options the federal government has used in similar conflicts.

For Minneapolis residents, the shooting brings back memories of other high-profile deaths involving law enforcement. That history has made trust harder to rebuild. Politically, the moment also puts Walz under a brighter spotlight, with demands from his base on one side and national scrutiny on the other.

Transparency, Accountability, and Hard Choices Ahead

Alex Pretti’s shooting is not just a Minneapolis story. It has become a flashpoint in the country’s heated battle over immigration enforcement. A nurse who spent his life helping others died during a disputed encounter, leaving a grieving family and a shaken community.

Attorney General Pam Bondi’s letter to Governor Tim Walz has sharpened the conflict into a simple choice: cooperation or confrontation on federal immigration policy. As investigations move forward, the public needs clear facts, including the release of footage, an independent review, and accountability if wrongdoing is found.

The case also forces a bigger discussion about safety, civil rights, and how power should be shared between states and the federal government. For now, Minneapolis is waiting for answers, and the tension is not easing.

Federal Agents Arrest Three Following St. Paul Church Disruption

Crime

Federal Agents Arrest Three Following St. Paul Church Disruption

Published

1 day ago

January 24, 2026

Jeffrey Thomas

Federal Agents Arrest Three Following St. Paul Church Disruption

ST. PAUL, MN– Federal agents with the FBI and Homeland Security arrested three people this week. The arrests stem from a protest that interrupted a Sunday morning service at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The demonstration on January 18, 2026, has drawn national attention, raising fresh arguments about immigration enforcement and whether places of worship should be off-limits to protests.

Those arrested were Nekima Levy Armstrong, a well-known civil rights attorney, Chauntyll Louisa Allen, a St. Paul School Board member, and activist William Kelly. Federal agents say all three face conspiracy charges tied to depriving others of constitutional rights, including the right to worship without threats or intimidation.

Officials say dozens of protesters entered the church while worship was underway. People chanted “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” referencing a local woman who was recently killed in a shooting involving an immigration officer.

Protesters focused on this church because one pastor also holds a role with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Demonstrators said they were calling out a public official. Church leaders and federal authorities say the group went too far by disrupting a private religious service.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Department of Justice plans to respond firmly to incidents like this. “Religious freedom is the bedrock of this country,” Bondi said. “We will protect our pastors and our churches.”

Don Lemon, Federal Agents, and the “Journalism” Argument

Former CNN host Don Lemon also became part of the story. Lemon was at the church during the protest, recording video and interviewing people for his independent media platform.

Prosecutors sought to charge Lemon along with the protesters, but a U.S. Magistrate Judge initially stopped the arrest warrant. The judge said Lemon appeared to be working as a journalist.

Even so, the Justice Department is reportedly exploring other options to charge him. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said “committing journalism” isn’t a “shield” if someone is involved in a coordinated plan to disrupt a protected event.

Lemon has pushed back publicly. On his YouTube show, he said, “That’s called journalism. You’re not going to diminish my voice.”

The arrests come as Democrats and legacy media have turned up the volume on ICE criticism. Some public figures have used harsh comparisons, calling ICE agents “secret police” and “thugs.” Others have compared today’s immigration enforcement to 1930s Germany.

Critics say this tone doesn’t match how immigration enforcement was discussed years ago. Independent observers point to what they view as uneven standards in how enforcement actions get covered.

Looking Back at the “Deporter-in-Chief” Era

The debate also revived a long-running point about President Barack Obama’s record. During his time in office, more than 3 million people were deported. The text of the debate often highlights that Obama’s first term saw more deportations than the first Trump administration did.

During that period, critics say major outlets rarely treated deportations as a daily crisis story. There were fewer comparisons to a “police state,” and less pushback from leading Democrats.

The Obama administration also recognized Tom Homan, who is often criticized today as a face of “mass deportations.” In 2015, Obama awarded Homan the Presidential Rank Award, the top civil service honor, tied to his work in border security and enforcement.

To many watching now, that contrast makes the current outrage feel more like politics than a steady moral position. Under a Democrat, strong enforcement was praised. Under a different administration, similar actions get labeled “fascism.”

For the three activists arrested in St. Paul, the stakes are high. A conviction for conspiracy to deprive civil rights can bring up to 10 years in prison.

The case could also shape how the government responds to protests on private property, especially inside churches. Protest rights have strong protections, but federal law also protects worshippers from harassment and intimidation while gathering for religious services.

With the 2026 midterm elections getting closer, the “Abolish ICE” push is likely to stay a major issue for progressives. In St. Paul, the more immediate concern is keeping community spaces safe and peaceful.

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Crime

FBI Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive Ryan Wedding Arrested

Published

1 day ago

January 24, 2026

VORNews

FBI Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive Ryan Wedding Arrested

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder and a fugitive once listed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted, has been arrested and transferred into US custody, according to officials.

Ryan had a $15 million reward tied to his capture after being indicted for allegedly leading a criminal enterprise that involved cocaine trafficking and murder. Authorities said the case spans the US, Canada, Mexico, and Colombia.

Mexico’s Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said in a post on X that Ryan Wedding voluntarily surrendered before being turned over to the FBI. García Harfuch described the transfer as part of a coordinated effort with US officials and said a Canadian citizen surrendered at the United States Embassy before being handed over.

FBI Director Kash Patel said at a Friday press conference that Wedding was taken into custody in Mexico late Thursday. Officials said he had been living in Mexico for more than a decade and was tied to the Sinaloa Cartel’s cocaine operation, which authorities allege moved drugs from Colombia to the US and Canada.

Attorney General Pam Bondi had previously said Wedding’s alleged network generated more than $1 billion a year in illegal drug profits. Investigators also believed he was in Mexico under cartel protection.

Patel credited cooperation with Mexico for the arrest, naming President Sheinbaum, Secretary Harfuch, Ambassador Ron Johnson, and others in a public post announcing the capture.

Ryan Wedding Arrested

Olympic past, now a major federal case

Wedding once competed for Team Canada and placed 24th in the parallel giant slalom at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

After the arrest, Wedding was transported to the United States on Friday. He arrived at Ontario International Airport in Southern California, where federal officials held a press conference.

During that briefing, officials said they had searched for Wedding for more than a year. They also accused him of ordering killings, including murders involving government officials. Authorities said they seized firearms, luxury vehicles, artwork, and other assets tied to the investigation.

Patel said Wedding is expected to appear in federal court as soon as Monday. FBI officials added that investigators are still looking for other people connected to the alleged operation. Ryan Wedding’s arrest was first reported by NBC.

Patel also pointed to the FBI’s recent progress on top fugitive cases, saying six of the agency’s Ten Most Wanted suspects have been arrested in the past year. That includes the capture in Mexico of a man charged in the 2016 killing of a woman in North Carolina, according to the FBI.

Not Ryan Wedding’s first run-in with the courts

This is not the first time Wedding has faced federal prosecution. In June 2008, Wedding was arrested with two other people and accused of conspiring to possess cocaine with intent to distribute, according to a criminal complaint. Investigators said Ryan Wedding and others traveled from Canada to San Diego to purchase cocaine as part of a Vancouver-based trafficking group.

Authorities said the deal was part of a sting operation. After the transaction, FBI agents arrested the group, and investigators later reported finding $100,000 in cash in a hotel room, according to an affidavit.

Court records show Wedding’s two co-defendants pleaded guilty. Wedding went to trial, was convicted in November 2009, and was sentenced in 2010 to four years in prison.

At sentencing, Wedding referred to his athletic career and told the court he wanted to rebuild his reputation.

In October 2024, federal prosecutors filed a superseding indictment charging Wedding with running a criminal enterprise that allegedly handled cocaine trafficking and murder across several countries. Prosecutors said the enterprise began around 2011, after Wedding was released from prison.

Prosecutors also allege Wedding and another man ordered multiple killings. They say he directed the November 2023 murders of two family members in Ontario, describing it as retaliation for a stolen drug shipment. Prosecutors also allege he ordered another murder in May 2024, tied to a drug debt. Ryan Wedding had been indicted previously in a case.