Somali fraud concerns followed a heated Maine Senate primary last month when Democratic candidate Graham Platner joined a Lewiston rally tied to figures now facing state and federal investigations. Platner marched with Maine Somalis to show support for Minnesota’s Somali community, which has been implicated in a massive fraud scandal, even as questions swirl around his allies closer to home.
Platner headlined the Dec. 13 event organized by Safiya Khalid, a former official at Gateway Community Services Maine, a nonprofit under investigation for allegedly defrauding the state of millions in health care payments. Addressing the crowd, Platner praised Khalid directly: “Safiya, thank you. All of us would not be here without your organizing skills. We are in your debt.”
Maine’s Somali population, estimated at up to 10,000, featured prominently in Platner’s remarks. “Mainers know that the Somali community is part of the state of Maine,” he said, while accusing President Donald Trump and Republicans of disparaging Somali Americans. Trump previously noted that Maine had become “a major destination” for Somali migrants during a 2016 visit.
Khalid said the rally responded to Trump’s “targeting of Somali Americans,” following renewed scrutiny of a Minnesota fraud ring led largely by Somali-linked nonprofits. Federal prosecutors believe those scams siphoned billions in public funds, prompting Gov. Tim Walz to abandon plans for a third term.
Gateway Community Services Maine faces similar allegations. State officials identified more than $662,000 in overpayments, while former billing specialist Christopher Bernardini alleged widespread falsified records. “I just couldn’t fathom it—I thought we were helping people; I thought this was all on the up-and-up,” Bernardini said.
As investigations expand, the Somali fraud controversy threatens to reshape Maine’s Democratic primary and draw broader attention to nonprofit oversight nationwide.
