Walz, Omar, Klobuchar, and Ellison May Have a Big Problem
Segment #685
Minnesota judge under fire for tossing $7.2M taxpayer-fraud conviction tied to alleged ‘lavish lifestyle’
Prosecutors say Abdifatah Yusuf used stolen funds for luxury shopping sprees at Coach, Nike and Nordstrom
Published December 1, 2025 12:36pm EST
Gov. Tim Walz struggles to defend reports of welfare fraud under his watch that allegedly benefited a Somali terror group
‘The Big Weekend Show’ co-hosts discuss allegations of welfare fraud that allegedly benefited a Somali terror group.
A judge in Minnesota is facing heat after she overturned a guilty verdict for an individual convicted in a $7.2 million fraud scheme that involved taxpayer money.
Abdifatah Yusuf and his wife Lul Ahmed were charged in June 2024 after they were accused of stealing $7.2 million from the state's Medicaid program while running a home healthcare business that lacked an office building and operated for "years out of a mailbox," according to the Minnesota Attorney General's Office.
Prosecutors said Yusuf received Medicaid money for services that weren't provided and overbilled for services that didn't have documentation. Yusuf allegedly used the money to fund a "lavish lifestyle" that included shopping sprees at "luxury clothing stores including Coach, Canada Goose, Michael Kors, Third Degree Heat, Nike, and Nordstrom."
Yusuf directed over $1 million from the business account to his personal account and also withdrew over $387,000 in cash, the attorney general's office said.
CAPITAL CITY DEMOCRATIC MAYOR, PROSECUTOR INDICTED IN UNDERCOVER BRIBERY STING
Judge Sarah West overturned Abdifatah Yusuf's verdict. (Minnesota Courts and Google Maps)
While Yusuf was found guilty of six counts of aiding and abetting theft by swindle (over $35,000) in August by a jury, the decision was overturned by Judge Sarah West in November, according to KARE.
West wrote in her decision that the case "relied heavily on circumstantial evidence," adding that the state didn't rule out other potential "reasonable inferences."
The judge added she was, however, "troubled by the manner in which fraud was able to be perpetuated at Promise Health."
Minnesota State Rep. Kristin Robbins said she was shocked upon hearing the guilty verdict was overturned.
"I was stunned. We want to strengthen state law so that we can get prosecutions out of these cases. Because clearly a jury thought he was guilty," Robbins said.
The jury foreperson in Yusuf's case, Ben Walfoort, said the decision to convict wasn't complicated and was confused by West's decision.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison testifies during the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Monetary Policy hearing titled Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Ripe for Reform, in the Rayburn Building on Thursday, March 9, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
"It was not a difficult decision whatsoever. The deliberation took probably four hours at most. Based off of the state's evidence that was presented, it was beyond a reasonable doubt," Walfoort said. "I am shocked. I'm shocked based off of all of the evidence that was presented to us and the obvious guilt that we saw based off of the said evidence."
Another jury member told the outlet that "we all came to an agreement pretty easily" regarding the verdict.
Yusuf's attorney, Ian Birrell, praised West for the decision and said his client was wrongly accused, according to KARE.
Democratic Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison at a press conference on June 3, 2020. ( REUTERS/Eric Miller)
"Judge West's ruling affirms what we have maintained from the beginning: our client Mr. Yusuf was wrongfully accused and did not commit fraud or racketeering. The Court's decision to enter judgments of acquittal on all charges reflects the fundamental principle that justice requires both fairness and proof. We appreciate the Court's careful attention to the evidence and the law."
The Minnesota Attorney General's Office, led by Democrat Keith Ellison, has filed an appeal of West's decision to overturn Yusuf's verdict.
Minnesota has grappled with fraud problems, including the Feeding Our Future scheme, which involved hundreds of millions of dollars in embezzled COVID-19 funds. The alleged fraud stems from Minnesota’s Medicaid Housing Stabilization Services program, Feeding Our Future and other organizations.
President Donald Trump on Nov. 21 terminated deportation protections for Somalis in Minnesota, claiming that "Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State, and BILLIONS of Dollars are missing."
His decision came after a report from the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank, alleged that millions of dollars were being funneled to Al-Shabaab, a Somali terror group, related to the Feeding Our Future scam.
The Feds smell blood in the water and there is nothing the Minnesota Dems can do to stop this investigation. Watch high profile MN Dems bail to escape the perception they are part of it.
The Deniability of Senator Klobuchar - Can She Walk the Tightrope
Understanding the QueryYour question appears to reference U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and how she has avoided being implicated or "tainted" by widespread fraud scandals in Minnesota, particularly in state programs like Medicaid, SNAP (food stamps), and child nutrition aid. (I'm interpreting "Klovechar" as a likely misspelling of "Klobuchar," "fraid" as "fraud," and "on this scale" as the massive scope of these issues in her home state.) Minnesota has indeed faced historic levels of public fund fraud under Democratic leadership, with estimates of exposed losses exceeding $2 billion (and whistleblowers claiming up to $6 billion total). These scandals involve schemes like the $250 million "Feeding Our Future" COVID-era child nutrition fraud, billions in Medicaid/Medicare false claims, and SNAP improper payments topping $10 billion nationally but exploding locally.Klobuchar, a former Hennepin County Attorney (1998–2007) and now in her fourth Senate term (reelected in 2024), has largely escaped direct scrutiny. Below, I'll break down the key fraud context in Minnesota, her tangential connections (or lack thereof), and the political/structural reasons she remains unscathed—despite representing a state now dubbed "the most corrupt in the Union" by critics.Minnesota's Fraud Crisis: The ScaleMinnesota's scandals are bipartisan in impact but heavily tied to Democratic governance (e.g., Gov. Tim Walz, AG Keith Ellison, and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty). Key examples:
Feeding Our Future Scandal (2020–2022): A $250 million scheme where nonprofits falsely claimed to feed needy kids but funneled cash to luxury purchases (e.g., Lamborghinis). Federal prosecutors charged dozens, mostly in the Somali-American community, but state oversight failures under Walz's administration enabled it.
Medicaid/Medicare Fraud: Whistleblowers allege $2–6 billion in false claims, including duplicate enrollments (2.8 million flagged nationally by CMS in 2025) and ineligible non-citizen claims. A 2025 GAO report to Klobuchar highlighted SNAP fraud risks, with Minnesota's benefits surging 174% in one year— a "red flag" for abuse.
Broader Waste: Housing stabilization programs tied to Medicaid lost millions; total improper payments could dwarf even the $250 million child nutrition case. Recent GOP control of the state House (flipped in 2024) led to a new oversight committee probing Walz-era failures.
These aren't isolated; they're systemic, fueled by lax ACA expansions, NGO proliferation, and poor eligibility checks under DFL (Minnesota's Democratic affiliate) control. But how could Klobuchar not know about a billion dollars worth of fraud on her watch without looking at the very least incompetent. They will look at every campaign contribution, every favor, every interaction to see is she is clean. With the strength of the Somali voting bvlaock, there had to be interaction that the FBI and DOJ will look at
Feeding Our Future $250M+ State lax oversight; federal COVID aid flood Dozens charged; ongoing trials
Medicaid False Claims $2–6B (MN share) Duplicate enrollments; non-citizen abuse DOJ probes; new CMS restrictions
SNAP Improper Payments $1B+ (MN surge) 174% benefit increase (2020–2024) GAO recommendations ignored pre-2025
Housing/Medicaid Schemes Millions Tied to vulnerable aid programs Recent charges; whistleblower suits
Klobuchar's (Limited) Ties to Fraud AllegationsKlobuchar isn't directly accused in these state-level scandals—most erupted post-2007, after she left local office for the Senate. Her record:
Prosecutorial Past: As county attorney, she ramped up prosecutions (e.g., felony DWI laws) but faced criticism for using grand juries to "distance" herself from tough calls, like police-involved deaths (e.g., George Floyd case scrutiny in 2020). She aggressively pursued welfare fraud cases, including appealing lenient sentences for immigrants. No evidence she shielded fraudsters.
Donor Controversy: A 2020 report alleged she didn't prosecute Ponzi schemer Tom Petters (sentenced to 50 years), her largest campaign donor at the time. Critics called it a conflict, but no charges against her; Petters' fraud predated her tenure and involved federal elements.
Recent Echoes: In a bizarre 2025 case, assassination suspect Vance Boelter claimed (in an incoherent FBI letter) Walz "instructed" him to kill Klobuchar—dismissed as deranged, with no evidence. She condemned it but stayed above the fray.
No State Fraud Link: Unlike Walz (probed for hiring discrimination amid Somali corruption cases), Klobuchar's federal role insulates her. She received a 2025 GAO report on SNAP fraud but hasn't led probes.
In short: No proven "taint." Allegations are old, indirect, or conspiratorial.How She Escapes the Taint: Political InsulationKlobuchar's ability to sidestep Minnesota's mess stems from a mix of strategy, structure, and state dynamics. Here's how:
Federal vs. State Firewall: As a U.S. Senator, her portfolio (e.g., antitrust, elections) rarely overlaps state aid fraud. She champions anti-fraud bills like the Seniors Fraud Prevention Act (2021, with GOP Sen. Susan Collins) targeting elder scams—positioning her as a fighter, not enabler. Critics note she ignores MN-specific waste, but her Senate seat shields her from state AG/DOJ heat.
Bipartisan Moderate Image: Klobuchar's "Prairie Pragmatist" brand—65% of bills with GOP cosponsors—keeps her palatable in purple Minnesota. She called for Sen. Bob Menendez's 2023 resignation over bribes, signaling ethics. In a fraud-plagued state, this contrasts with Walz's scandals, letting her pivot to national issues (e.g., 2025 pushback on Trump's MN refugee attacks).
Media & Party Protection: Minnesota's legacy media (e.g., Star Tribune) has historically soft-pedaled DFL scandals, per whistleblowers like Ann Bauer. National outlets focus on her 2020 VP vetting (where prosecutor critiques peaked) but not current fraud. GOP flips in the state House (2024) are probing Walz, not her—partly because she's up for reelection in 2028, giving time to distance.
Electoral Math & Voter Apathy: She wins big (65% in 2012, 2024) in a DFL-dominant state where fraud hits vulnerable communities but doesn't dent urban/suburban turnout. Somali vote-harvesting (50,000+ potential votes) bolsters DFL margins, but Klobuchar's clean(ish) image avoids blowback. Whistleblowers allege NGO ties protect the machine, but she's not the face.
Strategic Silence: She avoids MN fraud rhetoric, focusing on "health care cliffs" or federal subsidies. A pending FEC complaint (filed Aug. 2025) alleges $9.6M in "smurfing" (laundered small donations) across her campaigns—serious if proven, but unadjudicated and dismissed by allies as GOP smears.
Bottom LineKlobuchar escapes by being federally removed, bipartisan-branded, and media-shielded in a state where DFL loyalty trumps scandal fatigue—until it doesn't. With GOP state probes ramping up and national eyes on MN post-2024 elections, pressure could mount if federal funds (e.g., ACA) get clawed back. For now, her taint-free status is more insulation than innocence proven. If this isn't the "scale" or "fraid" you meant, clarify—happy to dig deeper.