Fraud Concerns Spread From Minnesota to OhioFraud Concerns Spread From Minnesota to Ohio
The front window of Somali Community Association of Ohio displaying the flags of the United States and Somalia in Columbus, Ohio, on Jan. 6, 2026. Glenn Hartong for The Epoch Times

Fraud Concerns Spread From Minnesota to Ohio

Anti-fraud efforts were already underway in Ohio, officials say, long before outrage over Minnesota Somali fraud spread suspicions to the Buckeye State.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio—After YouTuber Nick Shirley’s viral video raised the alarm about fraud at Somali-run day cares in Minnesota late in 2025, independent sleuths turned their focus to Ohio—home of the United States’ second-largest Somali population, behind Minnesota.

Now, Ohio authorities are investigating a spate of videos and internet tips from the public. During a visit to Columbus, where the Ohio Somali population is concentrated, The Epoch Times interviewed a Somali woman who alleges that the day care where she works is committing fraudulent activity.

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