Police in Minneapolis have raised questions about claims made by a Somali-operated daycare center that “important documents” disproving fraud allegations were stolen during a recent break-in.
The Nokomis DayCare Center said a burglar entered through the facility’s rear kitchen entrance on Tuesday, damaged a wall, and rifled through the main office. Manager Nasrulah Mohamed told reporters that documents related to child enrollment, employee records, and checkbooks were taken.
However, according to the Minneapolis Police Department, no losses were initially reported to officers. While the center reportedly followed up with additional information, an updated police report has not been made public.
Video released by the daycare showed a hole in a wall, possibly in a utility closet, but it remains unclear what exactly was taken or if the damage shown supports the account provided.
Mohamed suggested the incident may have been spurred by a viral video from citizen journalist Nick Shirley, who has been investigating alleged fraud across Minnesota daycare centers. Nokomis was not featured in Shirley’s report, but Mohamed said the center has since received hateful and threatening messages.
“This is devastating news, and we don’t know why this is targeting our Somali community as one video made by a specific individual made this all happen,” he said, calling the ordeal “frightening and exhausting.”
Meanwhile, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson recently stated that Minnesota has lost nearly half of $18 billion in federal welfare funding to fraud since 2018. He warned the state has become a hub for what he called “fraud tourism,” where individuals arrive specifically to exploit government programs.
