Washington — The House Oversight Committee is holding a hearing Wednesday on a series of multimillion-dollar pandemic fraud schemes in Minnesota, with testimony from state lawmakers who House Republicans say “sounded the alarm.”
“Minnesota social services, which are funded by you, the American taxpayer, are being ripped off,” Chairman James Comer said as he kicked off the hearing. “The breadth and depth of this fraud is breathtaking, and I fear, that this is just the tip of the iceberg.”
The panel is hearing from four witnesses: GOP Minnesota state Reps. Kristin Robbins, Walter Hudson and Marion Rarick, along with Brendan Ballou, a former prosecutor for the Justice Department.
Republican officials have argued for years that Minnesota was slow to act in what federal prosecutors described as the “largest pandemic fraud in the United States.” But the issue saw a resurgence late last year — and it hasn’t gone away, as the GOP puts pressure on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who announced this week that he was ending his reelection bid.
In December, Republicans on the Oversight Committee launched an investigation into Walz’s handling of the fraud cases. And Comer, a Kentucky Republican, invited the Minnesota governor and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison to testify before the committee next month.
“Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minnesota’s Democrat leadership have either been asleep at the wheel or complicit in these crimes,” Comer said Wednesday. “We must expose this theft of taxpayer dollars and hold everybody accountable who let it happen.”
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Comer said that, in addition to conducting transcribed interviews with Minnesota state officials, the panel would hold hearings on the fraud “to expose failures, identify solutions, and deliver accountability.” And he praised the Trump administration for taking a “whole of government approach” to prosecute Minnesota fraud.
Walz cited the fraud earlier this week in his decision to end his gubernatorial bid, acknowledging that in recent years, “an organized group of criminals have sought to take advantage of our state’s generosity.” He added that “even as we make progress in the fight against the fraudsters, we now see an organized group of political actors seeking to take advantage of the crisis.”
Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the committee, acknowledged the dangers and prevalence of fraud in his opening statement, but said that “what we should not do is use fraud as an excuse to rip away aid from innocent people who follow the rules and need help in our society.”
Garcia cited the administration’s plans to halt billions of dollars in federal funding for social services programs in five states led by Democrats following allegations of fraud.
“Republicans want to cut benefits and attack states with Democratic governors,” Garcia said. “And when it’s done — particularly in places like Minnesota — it has unleashed bigotry and hate.”
What to know about Minnesota fraud
Federal law enforcement officials say a litany of social service programs in Minnesota were targeted by fraudsters, including child nutrition, autism services and housing stabilization programs, in what one prosecutor described as “industrial-scale fraud.”
Some 92 people have faced federal charges so far, with 62 convicted.
The scandal began with allegations that people bilked nearly $250 million from a program that partnered with the Minnesota Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to distribute meals to children during the pandemic. Dozens of people have been convicted or pleaded guilty to collecting reimbursements for meals that weren’t actually served.
Prosecutors have also charged over a dozen people with submitting phony reimbursements to a now-defunct program that helped seniors and people with disabilities find housing — including two Pennsylvanians who allegedly traveled to Minnesota in what officials described as “fraud tourism.” And a program that funds therapy for children with autism was allegedly hit with fraud.
And a conservative YouTuber alleged nearly a dozen day care centers in Minnesota that are receiving public funds are not actually providing any services. Some of the day care centers and state regulators have pushed back on those allegations.
Walz has faced criticism for his handling of the fraud schemes, with watchdog agencies and Republican lawmakers arguing the state government missed warning signs and moved too slowly to shut down fraudulent payments.
The governor has long defended his handling of the crisis, arguing he has moved quickly to halt fraud and refer people for criminal prosecution.
Meanwhile, President Trump has focused on the fact that most — but not all — of the fraud defendants are of Somali descent, drawing backlash from local officials like Walz, who called the president’s comments “vile, racist lies and slander.”
How to watch the Minnesota fraud hearing
- What: House Oversight Committee hearing on “Oversight of Fraud and Misuse of Federal Funds in Minnesota”
- Date: Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026
- Time: 10 a.m. ET
- Online stream: Live on CBS News in the player above.