Minnesota Governor Tim Walz testifies during a House Oversight Committee hearing with U.S. governors about state policies regarding undocumented migrants, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
(Minneapolis, Minnesota) – Minnesota state officials and a Minneapolis day care manager on Monday denied allegations of fraud after a viral video raised questions about whether state-funded child care centers were improperly collecting taxpayer money. The claims stem from a video posted by Nick Shirley, which showed visits to several Minnesota facilities that appeared inactive despite receiving public child care assistance.
At a news conference, Tikki Brown, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families, said prior inspections of the centers mentioned in the video did not uncover fraud. Brown said facilities are inspected at least annually, often without notice, and that inspectors previously found children present during visits. She added that regulators are conducting additional unannounced site visits to review concerns raised by the footage and emphasized that no payments have been paused. Brown did not respond to a request for an interview from this outlet as of publication.
The manager of Quality Learing Center, Ibrahim Ali, rejected the allegations, saying the video was recorded outside the center’s operating hours. Ali said the facility, which primarily serves after-school children, has remained open for more than eight years and has never shut down. The video has sparked national political attention and criticism aimed at Tim Walz, though state officials say the allegations remain under review and unproven.
