WASHINGTON, D.C. – Just after midnight on January 5, a 26-year-old from Cincinnati’s Hyde Park area was arrested after police say the person used a hammer to break windows at Vice President JD Vance’s Cincinnati home.

Authorities accuse William DeFoor, who identifies as transgender and uses the name Julia DeFoor, of smashing four windows and causing major property damage. DeFoor was charged with felony vandalism, plus misdemeanor counts of criminal trespass, obstructing official business, and criminal damaging or endangering.

The damage happened at a home in East Walnut Hills that is described as a secondary residence for Vance, his wife, Usha, and their three young children. Secret Service agents assigned to protect the property reported hearing a loud noise, then seeing the suspect on the grounds.

According to arrest reports, the suspect broke four exterior windows and also struck a Secret Service vehicle parked in the driveway. After that, the suspect tried to run. Agents detained the individual quickly, and Cincinnati Police officers took custody and booked the suspect into the Hamilton County Justice Center. The Vance family was not home during the incident. They had traveled back to Washington, D.C., the day before, after spending the weekend in Ohio.

Vance addressed the case on social media, calling the suspect “a crazy person” who tried to get in by hammering the windows. He said he appreciated the fast response from the Secret Service and Cincinnati police. He also said he tries to shield his children from the downsides of public life, and questioned the value of sharing photos of the home showing broken windows.

Prior Pandemonium Before Attacking JD Vance’s Home

Court records show DeFoor has been tied to similar incidents in the past. In April 2024, the suspect pleaded guilty to two vandalism counts after causing more than $2,000 in damage to an interior design firm in Hyde Park.

That case was handled through the county’s mental health court program. DeFoor was ordered to complete two years of treatment and pay $5,550 in restitution. Records show treatment was still underway at the time of the latest arrest.

In 2023, a trespassing case tied to a psychiatric emergency services facility was dismissed after DeFoor was found incompetent to stand trial.

Investigators cited the prior record and concerns about repeat behavior when recommending a higher bond, according to court documents. DeFoor is set for arraignment in Hamilton County Municipal Court. Federal authorities are also reviewing whether additional charges could apply, including damaging government property and interfering with federal officers.

Parents Prominent Democrat Donors

DeFoor is listed as the eldest child of Dr. William R. DeFoor Jr., a pediatric urologist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and Dr. Catherine DeFoor, a general pediatrician. Both parents are registered Democrats and have a record of political donations.

Public records say Dr. William DeFoor Jr. gave more than $11,600 to Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign and related Democratic committees through ActBlue. The family lives in a $1.3 million home in Hyde Park, one of the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods, and the suspect attended private schools while growing up, according to the report.

Social media accounts linked to DeFoor show interest in transgender wellness resources, including likes tied to the Heartland Trans Wellness Center, a local group that supports transgender people. The family has not made a public statement about the arrest, and attempts to contact relatives did not succeed.

The vandalism comes as concerns about political violence aimed at public figures remain high. In recent years, attacks have targeted lawmakers’ homes, including the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in 2025 and the June 2025 killings of a Minnesota state legislator and her husband.

Vance has drawn criticism for his views on gender and family policy, and he has dealt with protests near his home before, including incidents that involved his young daughter.

Officials have not released a motive. Investigators are still working to determine whether the act was political, personal, or tied to other factors. Federal prosecutors and local law enforcement are coordinating as they decide whether the case will expand.

As the investigation continues, the incident highlights the security pressures that come with high-profile public service. Vance’s statement focused on keeping his children safe, and he urged restraint in sharing images of the home.

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Tim Walz Ends Re-Election Bid Amid Escalating Fraud Scandal

MINNEAPOLIS -A YouTube video titled “I Investigated Minnesota’s Billion Dollar Fraud Scandal” shook social media platforms. The footage, created by independent reporter Nick Shirley, quickly drew millions of viewers. Shirley and his colleague, David, visited several Somali-owned daycare centers throughout Minneapolis to verify reports of financial misconduct.

Instead of busy classrooms, they found vacant buildings, blocked-off windows, and signs with glaring typos. Shirley described the situation as “open and blatant fraud” fueled by taxpayer money. His project brought new attention to federal probes into social services within the local Somali community. Estimates regarding the scale of the theft vary, with some reports suggesting over $1 billion was diverted through different schemes.

Nick Shirley is a 23-year-old content creator who focuses on on-the-ground interviews. Since launching his channel in 2015, he’s gained over a million subscribers by filming in diverse and often tense environments. He’s known for a blunt and confrontational style that avoids traditional media filters.

In his late December video, Shirley pretended to be a parent looking for childcare services. Each facility he visited turned him away or refused to show him around. One notable moment involved a building labeled the “Quality Learing Center.” Despite receiving millions in state funds and being licensed for dozens of kids, the center appeared abandoned. When Shirley tried to film, workers shouted at him to stop and refused to answer questions.

The video aligns with several high-profile scandals that have hit Minnesota programs. Federal investigators have worked since the pandemic to charge dozens of people for stealing from food and healthcare initiatives. The largest case, Feeding Our Future, involved fake nonprofits that billed for meals never served to children.

Other schemes targeted autism therapies and daycare assistance. Prosecutors say the suspects used the money for expensive cars, luxury homes, and transfers to other countries.

By late 2025, more than 70 people faced charges, and several had already received long prison sentences. While some critics link these funds to overseas groups, those legal connections are still being settled in court.

Youtuber Exposed Minnesota’s Billion-Dollar Fraud Scandal

The visual evidence of empty hallways and misspelled signs gave critics plenty of ammunition. Public officials, including House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, used the footage to demand answers from Governor Tim Walz. Conservative news outlets featured the video as proof of a broken system and poor government oversight.

They argued that officials were too afraid of being called racist to properly audit these centers. On the other hand, reports from the New York Times mention that many people in the Somali community acted as whistleblowers to expose the theft. While the fraud is massive, it involves a specific group rather than the community as a whole.

Shirley’s reach didn’t stop with a single upload. Clips of the investigation spread across X and were shared by other popular influencers like Benny Johnson. This cross-platform sharing kept the story in the news for weeks.

Supporters praised him for doing the work that major news stations seemed to ignore. Even though some people on platforms like Reddit debated his methods, they couldn’t ignore the physical evidence of the ghost operations he found.

The video eventually reached the national political stage, where leaders used it to argue for stricter immigration and welfare policies.

The success of Shirley’s video shows how much power independent creators have today. By taking a camera directly to the source, he forced a conversation about government spending and accountability. He argued that taxpayers work too hard to have their money stolen through simple scams.

Whether this leads to actual policy changes in Minnesota is still unclear. However, the viral nature of the report proves that one person with a camera can still change the national conversation. Shirley’s work remains a prime example of how modern reporting can bypass traditional newsrooms to reach a massive audience.

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Somali’s Accused of Bilking Millions from Maine’s Medicaid Program

ST. PAUL, MN — Federal prosecutors now describe what happened in Minnesota as “industrial-scale fraud.” Investigators say the state became a hub for a massive theft of public money. The funds were meant to help people who needed it most, including kids who needed meals and families seeking autism-related services.

At first, many headlines focused on a $250 million food program scandal. Now federal officials say that figure may be just the start. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson recently said the total exposure could be far larger, as much as $9 billion to $10 billion. That estimate is tied to $18 billion spent across 14 state-run programs since 2018, with up to half potentially paid out on fraudulent claims.

A nonprofit network built on fake meal counts

The story first exploded around Feeding Our Future, a nonprofit that said it was feeding thousands of children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Investigators later said many meal sites were not real operations. Some were empty lots or storefronts that existed only on paperwork.

So far, 78 people have been charged in this scheme alone. Prosecutors say the claims were often extreme. In one example, a defendant reported serving 6,000 meals a day in a town with fewer than 3,000 residents. Officials also say state leaders had warning signs as early as July 2019, yet payments continued.

“The magnitude cannot be overstated,” Thompson said at a recent press conference. “What we see in Minnesota is not a handful of bad actors. It is staggering, industrial-scale fraud.”

A reputation for easy money

Federal prosecutors say Minnesota’s oversight problems became so well-known that they sparked what some now call “fraud tourism.” This week, prosecutors charged two men from Philadelphia who allegedly traveled to Minneapolis after hearing the state’s programs were a “good opportunity to make money.”

The allegations go well beyond food programs. Investigators and auditors have pointed to major abuse risks across other state efforts.

Programs tied to major alleged abuse

• Autism Services (EIDBI): Prosecutors allege some companies billed Medicaid for therapy that never happened. They also say parents were paid kickbacks of up to $1,500 a month to enroll children who did not have an autism diagnosis.
• Housing Stabilization Services: This program was meant to help people facing homelessness. Costs reportedly jumped from $2.6 million to more than $100 million in just a few years, before the program was shut down in October 2025 amid widespread abuse claims.
• Frontline Worker Pay: Audits suggest funds went to ineligible applicants, including thousands of alleged “ghost” workers, draining money meant for people who worked through the peak of the pandemic.

Political fallout: Walz, Omar, and rising scrutiny

Pressure grows as the estimate climbs

As the potential fraud total moves closer to $10 billion, pressure has increased on Governor Tim Walz. Critics say the administration missed obvious warning signs and took a hands-off approach that left programs open to abuse.

In June 2024, the nonpartisan Office of the Legislative Auditor reported that the Minnesota Department of Education’s oversight was “inadequate” and “created opportunities for fraud.” Walz has said his administration reported concerns to the FBI. Court records also show the state resumed payments to Feeding Our Future even while suspecting criminal activity.

Omar’s district and concerns about overseas ties

Representative Ilhan Omar has faced criticism because many charged individuals are from the Somali-American community in her district. Omar has not been accused of personal wrongdoing. Still, federal investigators are looking into whether any stolen money was sent overseas, including possible ties to groups like al-Shabaab.

Omar has dismissed those concerns and pointed to the FBI, saying it should have flagged any links earlier if they existed. Critics respond that her office maintained close connections with people who were later convicted in the schemes.

Billions lost, and trust damaged

The scale is hard to ignore. A potential $10 billion loss works out to about $1,700 per person in Minnesota, based on the figures cited. Critics call it a historic breakdown in oversight and basic controls.

More charges, more audits, and a long cleanup

Federal investigators say more charges are on the way. The U.S. Attorney’s office describes the situation as a connected web of scams, not isolated cases.

Meanwhile, the Walz administration has ordered a third-party audit of 14 “high-risk” programs. Results are expected in late January 2026.

Minnesota is now left with a painful mix of financial loss and public anger. Investigators say some stolen funds went to luxury cars, international travel, and seaside real estate in East Africa. For many residents, the hardest part may be knowing how much money is already gone, and how hard it will be to recover.

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