Americans in Ohio and Washington have hit the streets to investigate if childcare centers in their neighborhoods were fake after YouTuber Nick Shirley went viral for investigating allegations of systemwide
fraud in Minnesota’s childcare programs.
Shirley’s
videos, which featured drop-ins at child care centers owned by Somali immigrants, happened amid the FBI’s own
probe into widespread fraud schemes by individuals that funneled millions of dollars into Minnesota's Somali community.
Citizen investigators went to Somali-run childcare operations in Ohio and Washington and said they discovered vacant centers, homes with sheets covering windows, and people denying that it was a daycare, per
videos shared on social media.
One citizen journalist was
called a “terrorist” for asking questions at an alleged childcare center in Ohio, as
another had a door shut on him as he inquired about contact information.
Ohio
Dozens of state representatives have demanded that the Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) increase unannounced inspections of childcare facilities in the state, specifically in the Columbus area, where the second-largest Somali population lives in the United States.
“These allegations raise serious concerns regarding program integrity, the responsible use of taxpayer dollars, and the overall credibility of Ohio’s publicly funded childcare system,” Republican state Rep. Josh Williams
wrote in a press release on Dec. 30.
“Unannounced inspections are an essential tool to identify violations, deter fraudulent practices, and reinforce confidence in the oversight of publicly funded programs.”
The letter, co-signed by 42 other state representatives, demanded that the department also audit attendance records, withhold funds from any center facing fraud allegations, and report fraud to the authorities.
The Epoch Times has contacted the Ohio Department of Children for comment.
Washington
Republicans in Washington state have called the allegations of widespread fraud by phony childcare centers in their state—involving potentially billions of dollars—serious and credible.“While these 'childcare center' fraud allegations were initially concentrated in one state—Minnesota—subsequent allegations have involved the states of Maine, Ohio, and Washington,” the Washington State GOP
said.
The group of Republicans also criticized Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson’s
response to the allegations.
The governor in a Dec. 29
post on X said he met with Somali American community leaders and accused President Donald Trump of "deep damage" from his immigration enforcement and comments on illegal immigrants and crime.
"Here in Washington state, we recognize that diversity is a strength," Ferguson wrote.
Washington has the third-highest Somali population in the United States, according to
data by the World Population Review.
Washington's Attorney General's Office said there’s been a surge of members in the Somali community reporting being harassed.
“My office has received outreach from members of the Somali community after reports of home-based daycare providers being harassed and accused of fraud with little to no fact-checking,” Attorney General Nick Brown
wrote in an X post on Dec. 30.
Brown added, “Showing up on someone’s porch, threatening, or harassing them isn’t an investigation.”
One of the registered daycares who publicly reported being scared by a citizen journalist at their door was Bright Family Childcare, located in Seattle.
“An unknown masked man arrived with a camera, behaving aggressively … This behavior was alarming and made me feel very scared, it’s obvious that he didn’t come for a genuine inquiry,” the owner of Bright Family Childcare wrote in response to a Google review left by the citizen journalist.
The Epoch Times has contacted Bright Family Childcare for comment.
State Defends Anti-Fraud Measures
The Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families has pointed to measures it put in place to detect fraud, including unannounced site visits at every licensed childcare provider once a year, according to a statement to The Epoch Times on Dec. 31.The department said 5,500 of 210,000 childcare slots, or 2.6 percent in the state, are allocated to people who list Somali as their primary language or a language spoken.
In 2024, the department said it conducted 1,440 random audits to confirm the accuracy of payments made to providers that year. In that
audit, it discovered 102 cases of “overpayment” to providers, which was nearly $1.5 million.
