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Examining the Widely Circulated $9B Fraud Claim
As midterm elections approach, expect Minnesota Republicans to lean heavily into messaging about government fraud under Democratic leadership. While financial misuse is a legitimate concern, critics point out that the figures being tossed around by the GOP might be drastically inflated.
“I’m hearing it’s [$]19 [billion], and it’s probably much more,” Donald Trump claimed. Meanwhile, a number of conservatives—including Minnesota U.S. Senate candidate Michele Tafoya, a group of federal lawmakers, and various social media commentators—have rallied around a specific $9 billion price tag.
In a report released Tuesday, KSTP journalist Tom Hauser investigated the origins of that $9 billion figure and found it trace back to remarks made late last year by then-First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson. After reviewing state data, however, KSTP’s investigative team could only substantiate about $500 million in statewide fraud—a fraction of the claimed amount. Roughly $250 million to $300 million of that total stems from the Feeding Our Future scandal alone. Hauser noted that it would require more than 30 scandals of that magnitude to actually reach $9 billion.
Unsurprisingly, those who amplified the unverified figure have not issued retractions.
“I was generalizing and giving a sense of the magnitude of the fraud, the scope of it,” Thompson told KSTP, standing by his estimate. Meanwhile, state Rep. Kristin Robbins (R-Maple Grove) maintained an optimistic outlook, telling reporters, “We will get to $9 billion.”
For some perspective on partisan rhetoric, Hauser consulted Paul M. Vaaler, a professor at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. “Hype and hyperbole have always been part of partisan politics,” he observed. “That’s not going to go away.”
Neither, unfortunately, are systemic issues. KSTP also highlighted a recent ordeal involving 29,000 “ghost students” who fraudulently attempted to enroll at Normandale Community College in Bloomington.
Another Multi-Million Dollar Misstep for MPS
“Minneapolis Public Schools lost out on $4.1 million in state and federal special education aid during the 2025-26 school year due to a district accounting mistake,” reported Melissa Whitler for the Minnesota Reformer. It marks just the latest in a string of costly financial blunders by the cash-strapped district’s finance department over the past few years—leading some to jokingly wonder if the department is being managed by woodland creatures. “The lost funding is roughly enough to pay 35 teachers for a school year,” Whitler noted.
Other recent errors include at least $25 million in underreported special education expenditures, $3 million improperly withheld from an employee healthcare trust, and missed federal tax filings that triggered a $5.3 million penalty.
To uncover the root of the dysfunction, the district brought in outside investigators at a cost exceeding $1 million. Their findings pointed to broken technology, inadequate employee training, high staff turnover, and workers who simply didn’t know how to complete necessary paperwork.
Crafting Traditions for the Hereafter
Sahan Journal’s Katrina Pross recently featured a compelling profile of Billy Vang, who runs a specialty shop at Maplewood Mall dedicated to traditional Hmong funeral attire.
Vang explains that his storefront serves as an educational space, drawing in curious shoppers who want to learn more about Hmong customs through his brightly colored garments. He also highlights his collaboration with North Memorial Health, which supplies culturally appropriate funeral wear for patients who pass away unexpectedly.
Summing up the deeper meaning behind his craftsmanship, Vang told the outlet: “[Families] don’t want their loved ones to wear a hospital gown into the next life.”
Mourning the Loss of Dolly Parton and Tim Curry
It has been a difficult week for entertainment icons. Following the death of Dolly Parton, the arts community lost another uniquely brilliant and eccentric talent in Tim Curry.
To honor Parton, 89.3 The Current shared a striking portrait captured by photographer Pete Hohn just ahead of her August 26, 1975, performance at the Minnesota State Fair. Parton graced the State Fair Grandstand four times throughout her career, prompting waves of nostalgic comments from locals sharing memories of her electrifying live shows.
As for local ties to Tim Curry, Twin Cities residents don’t need a reminder that regular screenings of *The Rocky Horror Picture Show* remain a staple at the Parkway Theater, keeping alive a tradition once housed at the Uptown Theatre. Neal Justin’s 2016 retrospective for the Star Tribune explores the history of those packed Uptown midnight screenings—complete with costumes, callbacks, and prop throwing—which ran weekly all the way through 1996. You can revisit that piece via this gift link.
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