US Vice President JD Vance has referred allegations linked to alleged fraud in Minnesota to the Department of Justice for possible criminal investigation, escalating scrutiny over the state’s handling of public social service funds.
The referral reportedly includes claims involving Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison, following a House Oversight Committee report that raised concerns about oversight failures in state-administered programmes.
According to the committee’s findings, warning signs of possible fraud were reportedly flagged within Minnesota’s government, but officials allegedly delayed or failed to act decisively, while payments continued despite red flags being identified.
In a letter sent to Vance, House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer urged the White House anti-fraud task force to push federal agencies to conduct a comprehensive review of Minnesota’s social services systems, including programme integrity, funding approvals, and enrolment processes from 2019 onward.
Vance later confirmed on the social media platform X that he had forwarded the matter to the Justice Department’s fraud division, led by Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald.
He said officials must be held accountable if evidence shows wrongdoing, including fraud, false testimony, or intimidation of whistleblowers.
The allegations have intensified political pressure on Walz, who previously faced criticism from Republicans over his administration’s handling of state welfare programmes. He had been seeking re-election for a third term as governor before announcing in January that he would not continue his campaign.
CNN reported that both Walz and Ellison have been contacted for comment regarding the referral and the committee’s findings.
The controversy gained wider attention after a viral online video last year accused some Minnesota-based childcare centres run by Somali communities of fraudulently accessing public childcare funds. The claims spread rapidly on social media and were amplified by prominent political and tech figures, despite limited verified evidence.
The issue has since been used by Republican figures to call for stricter oversight of social welfare spending across several US states.
Vance has previously indicated that similar investigations could be extended to other states, arguing that any confirmed misuse of public funds must be fully prosecuted.
