Tillis, Colleagues Demand Accountability From Governor Walz Over Child Care Fraud

Jan 9 2026

Tillis, Colleagues Demand Accountability From Governor Walz Over Child Care Fraud

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and his Republican Senate colleagues recently sent a letter to Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) demanding accountability amid widespread reports of fraud and abuse of federal child care funding in Minnesota.

"We write to express serious concern regarding recent reports and federal investigations alleging widespread fraud and misuse of federal funds within Minnesota's state-administered child care assistance programs. The state's apparent negligent management of federal funds raises significant concerns about the adequacy of the state's oversight, verification, and compliance systems for safeguarding taxpayer dollars intended to support vulnerable children and working families. Unfortunately, these latest reports appear to reflect only the tip of the iceberg," the senators wrote.

"Federal prosecutors have been conducting a broader investigation of large-scale fraud in Minnesota's social services programs. Some authorities estimate that billions in federal funds across various programs, including child care, nutrition, Medicaid, and housing assistance, may have been misappropriated since 2018. One example includes the Feeding Our Futurescheme, where more than 50 individuals were convicted for diverting hundreds of millions of dollars in pandemic relief funds intended for school meals," the senators continued.

"Under the leadership of President Trump, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has acted promptly to freeze child care payments to Minnesota pending verification and audits of how funds were used. The Constitution grants Congress the power of the purse, and the United States Senate is exercising its duty to ensure proper stewardship of federal taxpayer dollars for child care programs, and we take this responsibility very seriously," the senators concluded.

Full text of the letter is available HERE.

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