Omar Denies Allegations Linking Somali Community Fraud to Terrorism
Context of Allegations
On December 7, 2025, Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar asserted that any connection between allegations of fraud involving members of the Somali community in Minnesota and terrorism would represent a significant failure on the part of law enforcement agencies, particularly the FBI. This statement was made amid ongoing investigations into numerous multimillion-dollar alleged pandemic fraud schemes in Minnesota.
In 2022, federal prosecutors labeled the fraud as the “largest pandemic fraud in the United States,” associated with a welfare program that collaborated with the Minnesota Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to distribute meals to children. Recently, the Treasury Department announced it would investigate claims that tax dollars from Minnesota’s public assistance programs may have inadvertently funded the al-Qaeda affiliate al-Shabaab, based in Somalia.
Investigations Underway
The situation has prompted House Republicans on the Oversight Committee to initiate an investigation into the handling of these fraud cases by Democratic Governor Tim Walz. During an appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Omar expressed her belief that allegations linking these fraud cases to terrorism are unfounded.
“If there was a linkage in the mstarty that they have stolen going to terrorism, then that is a failure of the FBI and our court system in not figuring that out,” Omar stated. She described these accusations as longstanding but clarified that if tax dollars are indeed linked to terrorist activities, there should be accountability and prosecution.
Community Impact and Reactions
Minnesota is noted for hosting the largest Somali-American population in the U.S., comprising mostly U.S. citizens according to 2024 Census Bureau data. Despite this, many of those charged in the fraud scheme are of Somali descent, while the leader of the group, Feeding Our Future, who was convicted earlier this year, is White.
Omar criticized statements made by the President, who has suggested that the Somali community is to blame for the fraud, calling his remarks about Somali immigrants “disgusting.” She stated, “These are Americans that he is calling garbage,” and emphasized a perceived obsession the President has with the Somali community and herself. She warned that such dehumanizing rhetoric could incite dangerous actions from individuals influenced by his words.
Omar also highlighted that the fraud had ramifications for the Somali community itself, as they are also taxpayers who could have benefitted from the program subjected to fraud. “It’s been really frustrating for people to not acknowledge the fact that we’re, you know, we’re also, as Minnesotans, as taxpayers, really upset and angry about the fraud that has occurred,” she remarked.
Treasury’s Statements
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who also appeared on the same program, noted that investigations were underway to trace the flow of funds involved in the fraudulent activities. He alleged that certain individuals charged in the case had contributed to Governor Walz’s campaign as well as Omar’s and Attorney General Keith Ellison’s. Bessent asserted that mstarty from these fraudulent activities has been tracked to both the Middle East and Somalia.
Responding to Bessent’s claims, Omar stated that while some donors to her campaign may have been implicated, she had previously returned contributions linked to the fraud. Furthermore, Omar noted that she had been among the first to alert federal authorities to the wrongdoing in the program.
As investigations continue in Minnesota, the discussions surrounding the alleged fraud and its implications remain a sensitive topic, particularly within the Somali-American community.