Recent reporting by the City Journal is sounding more alarms about the international impact of Minnesota’s fraud problem. The reporting, which has additional sources verifying what has been reported as early as 2018, shines more light on how fraud schemes are used to transfer money overseas through an informal network of money traders, including those associated with the terrorist group Al-Shabaab in Somalia.

This led Senator Jordan Rasmusson (R-Fergus Falls) and Senator Paul Utke (R-Park Rapids) who serve as Republican Leads on the Human Services Committee and Health and Human Services Committee respectively, to write U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen asking him to investigate these claims

The letter reads in part:

These fraud schemes not only undermine essential services intended for the elderly, disabled, and children, but also raise questions about oversight failures and the diversion of public funds to nefarious ends. We understand that traditional financial institutions may not work with hawalas, and families may have no other choice but to use questionable money transfer networks. However, it’s become clear that current efforts from state officials have been falling short for quite some time. They lack both the political will and the legal authority to investigate international financial crimes and terrorism.   

As stewards of public trust and representatives of Minnesotans, we urge your office to initiate a comprehensive federal investigation into these matters to safeguard our state's resources, protect vulnerable populations, and address potential national security implications. Federal agencies have better and proper resources and authority to investigate and prosecute these schemes that robbed hundreds of millions of dollars from Minnesotans but extend far beyond Minnesota’s borders.