Breaking News: Tim Walz Takes ‘Full Accountability’ for Multi-Billion Dollar Fraud Scandal

Breaking News: Tim Walz Takes ‘Full Accountability’ for Multi-Billion Dollar Fraud Scandal

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is facing intense backlash after a live television appearance in which he appeared to take personal responsibility for the massive Somali-linked welfare fraud scandal that has rocked his administration and triggered federal investigations.

Speaking at a press event meant to promote Minnesota’s paid leave program, Walz abruptly shifted tone, offering comments that many interpreted as an admission of failure in the multi-billion-dollar fraud scheme that unfolded under his watch.

“There’s full accountability for everybody because the buck stops with me,” Walz said. “I’m accountable for this. And because of that accountability, I’m not running for office again.”

The remarks came just one day after Walz abruptly announced he would not seek a third term in 2026, a stunning reversal amid mounting pressure over widespread corruption in state-administered social programs.

Walz’s attempt to frame the decision as a gesture of responsibility backfired almost immediately, with critics across the aisle demanding answers — and in some cases, his resignation.

The Feeding Our Future scandal, at the center of the controversy, has already produced more than 70 indictments and over 50 convictions, according to federal prosecutors.

The nonprofit, originally tasked with distributing federal nutrition funds during the pandemic, became a vehicle for an elaborate network of fraudulent meal claims, shell organizations, and kickbacks — many tied to individuals within Minnesota’s Somali immigrant community.

Prosecutors say participants claimed to serve tens of thousands of nonexistent meals to children from empty storefronts, apartment buildings, and shuttered daycares, siphoning off hundreds of millions in federal aid.
The stolen funds allegedly financed luxury homes, high-end cars, international travel, and wire transfers abroad, making the case one of the largest public-benefits frauds in U.S. history.

Whistleblowers warned state agencies about the fraud months before it was exposed but were reportedly ignored or dismissed over fears of being accused of racism or discrimination against minority-run programs.

Federal investigators now estimate total losses from overlapping welfare schemes in Minnesota may exceed $9 billion — including funds routed through fraudulent daycare and health services linked to the same network of operators.

Following the governor’s televised remarks, Republican lawmakers called for Walz’s immediate resignation, arguing that his acknowledgment of accountability amounted to a confession of political and administrative failure.

“It ain’t happening. I’m not going anywhere,” Walz shot back when pressed by reporters. “And you can make all of your requests for me to resign — over my dead body will that happen. I will fight this thing thing until the very end.”

The embattled Democrat accused his critics of doing President Trump’s bidding, deflecting blame back toward Washington.

“When does the guy in the White House resign? When does he take accountability for what he did?” Walz said. “Because it isn’t going to happen here.”
The controversy deepened after independent journalist Nick Shirley released a viral documentary on Dec. 26 exposing ten Somali-run daycare centers that appeared largely inactive yet received millions in public funding. Shirley’s footage showed empty classrooms and locked doors — including at the Sweet Angel Child Care Center, which reportedly listed the same phone number as Walz’s office.

Walz has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, though his administration is accused of expanding welfare programs while oversight collapsed. In one recent exchange, Walz deflected questions about Somali accountability by invoking race.

“Look, it’s not law-abiding citizens,” Walz said. “If that were the case, there’s a lot of white men should be holding a lot of white men accountable for the crimes that they have committed.”

The comment drew immediate condemnation from both Republicans and moderate Democrats, who accused the governor of downplaying a massive fraud through racial deflection.

Walz’s televised “buck stops with me” remark may prove to be a turning point — one that shifts public perception from political mismanagement to potential culpability in one of the most extensive welfare fraud scandals in modern U.S. history.