For everyone who thinks Nick Shirley was the first person to report on fraud in MN, get a clue. Here’s a very short and not at all comprehensive list of previous reporting from YEARS ago.
1. Jeff Baillon (Fox 9 / KMSP, Minneapolis) – Lead investigative reporter on multiple stories about daycare fraud, including overbilling, kickbacks, cash in suitcases leaving MSP airport, and Somali-owned centers under investigation. Key 2018 piece: “Millions of dollars in suitcases fly out of MSP, but why?” (May 2018; builds on earlier Fox 9 work from ~2013–2015). fox9.com
2. Chris Serres (Star Tribune / Minneapolis Star Tribune) – Covered raids, charges, overbilling at specific centers (often involving Somali operators), and community responses. Example: “May 23: Minneapolis child care center accused of illegally billing state program” (2015, on Salama Child Care Center raid/overbilling). Also reported 2016 charges and 2018 Somali providers’ pushback. startribune.com
3. Scott W. Johnson (City Journal / Power Line) – Independent/policy journalist who wrote on the scale of daycare fraud involving mostly Somali-owned centers and assimilation questions. Article: “Mogadishu, Minnesota” (May 2018). city-journal.org
4. Kim Crockett (Center of the American Experiment) – Policy writer/fellow who covered welfare/child-care fraud, the 2018 Fox 9 reporting, Somali community involvement in cases, and the 2019 legislative auditor review. Piece: “Child care welfare fraud” (Spring 2019, Thinking Minnesota). americanexperiment.org
5. Alpha News / Megan Olson (and related Alpha News coverage) – Local independent outlet that reported on the 2019 Office of the Legislative Auditor findings regarding CCAP fraud allegations (stemming from earlier Fox 9/Somali-linked cases). Article: “Child Care Fraud Confirmed by State Auditor’s New Report” (March 2019). (Liz Collin, associated with Alpha News, has covered related Minnesota fraud extensively in later years; the outlet tracked these issues in the period.) alphanews.org
6. Laura Yuen (MPR News) – Reported on state investigations of the 10 daycare providers (many Somali-owned), official responses to Fox 9 claims, and related context. Example: “Fox 9 reporting on day care fraud called into question” (May 2018). mprnews.org
7. J. Patrick Coolican (Star Tribune) – Covered the 2019 legislative auditor report responding to the 2018 fraud allegations (including Somali-linked cases and unproven terror-funding claims). Article: “Audit: Fraud in Minnesota’s child care program not $100 million but still troubling” (March 2019). startribune.com
8. Bill Glahn (Center of the American Experiment) – Policy analyst who has extensively tracked Minnesota welfare/child-care fraud (including early Somali-linked cases from ~2016 onward); his documentation and commentary reference the 2015–2019 period. Later tracker work builds on that era (e.g., references to 2018 reporting and auditor findings). Example context from his ongoing work: coverage tying back to the period’s cases.
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