The Tony Kennett Cast — Ep. 460

BOMBSHELL: Minnesota Somali Fraud Scandal Gets WORSE, Ilhan Omar's Staffer Caught, $8 Billion Lost
Date: December 6, 2025
Host: Tony Kennett (The Daily Signal)
Key Contributors: Virginia Allen (Senior News Producer), Producer Nick, John Fredericks

1. Episode Overview

Tony Kennett dives into the rapidly escalating Minnesota Somali fraud scandal, revealing that the scope of the scandal has grown from $1 billion to as much as $8–10 billion in fraudulent activity. The episode traces the failure of state and federal oversight, implicates prominent Minnesota officials—especially Rep. Ilhan Omar—and explores the web of NGOs and their role in channeling taxpayer dollars to fraudulent and potentially terror-linked activities. The episode then pivots to issues of immigration, NGO corruption in other contexts (including Gaza and Ukraine), and closes with a discussion on redistricting politics in Indiana.

2. Key Discussion Points & Insights

A. Escalating Fraud in Minnesota

• Background of Minnesota Somali Fraud

  • Minnesota state employees tried to blow the whistle on fraud in early 2024 ([00:38]).
  • Whistleblowers provided detailed, consistent reports and internal documents, attempting to alert both the Walz administration and federal agencies, but were ignored.
  • "The situation in Somalia is getting even worse...it could be now between 8 to 10 billion dollars of fraud against those here in the United States." — Tony Kennett [02:24]
  • Federal, state, and legislative auditors were bypassed or undermined by the Walz administration, drawing multiple federal investigations.
  • At least 13–14 federal agencies now probing the state, one of the biggest such efforts since 1920s Chicago ([05:42]).

• Ilhan Omar’s Alleged Connections

  • Rep. Ilhan Omar linked to key figures and entities caught in the fraud, including convicted owners of Somali restaurants which hosted her events ([07:00]).
  • "Omar held parties at one of the key restaurants named in the fraud, knew personally one of its now convicted owners and one of her own staffers has also been convicted." — Tony Kennett quoting Chadwick Moore [07:08]
  • Omar is reported to have introduced state-level legislation that created legal pathways for this type of fraud ([08:08]).

• Public Reactions and Political Fallout

  • Ilhan Omar filmed a disheveled video lashing out at critics, emphasizing "using every single leverage" against adversaries ([09:51]).
  • "We need to make sure that those who are collaborating with the authoritarian regime pay a costly price." — Ilhan Omar [10:15]
  • Photos surface of convicted Somali fraudsters with Omar, Governor Walz, and others ([11:12]).
  • Complicated history of Temporary Protected Status for Somali immigrants and lax oversight traced back to George H. W. Bush's policies ([11:51]).

• Media and Political Deflections

  • Some politicians argue fraud is being sensationalized for racial reasons; Tony counters with evidence of remittances and cultural priorities within the Somali community ([13:12], [14:23], [15:40]).

B. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): Corruption & Complicity

• Role of NGOs in Fraud

  • NGOs and religious charities (notably Lutheran and Catholic groups) implicated in moving migrants, misallocating aid, and, in international cases, supporting criminal or terror-linked actors ([19:11]).
  • Virginia Allen elaborates on NGO Monitor’s findings from Israel documenting forced/coerced cooperation between Gaza-based NGOs and Hamas, with ties to global charities like Doctors Without Borders and Save the Children ([20:25]).

• Wider NGO Scandals

  • “Can we just put a stop to foreign NGOs until further notice?” — Tony Kennett [23:17]
  • Evidence cited for NGO involvement in Ukraine aid theft, US domestic immigration fraud, and direct funding links to Hamas.

C. Corruption Beyond Minnesota

• Ukraine’s Oversight Scandal

  • New York Times report cited: “zelensky's government sabotaged oversight, allowing corruption to fester.” ([25:53], [30:19])
  • U.S. and EU oversight boards thwarted by Ukraine’s parliament; Tony draws parallel with earlier Republican warnings and media dismissals.

• Media Distraction

  • Tony criticizes legacy media for focusing on sensational stories (e.g., misreported identity/ethnicity of alleged D.C. pipe bomber) at the expense of covering major corruption ([32:48]).

D. Immigration, Culture & Policy Responses

• NGO-Enabled Migration and Resettlement

  • Lutheran Social Services resettled ~100,000 Somalis since 1993 with over $20–25 million in government grants and ongoing funding ([36:07]).
  • Financial data shows remittances to Somalia outweigh claimed “economic contributions” by Somali residents in Minnesota ([38:05]).
  • “They still would not have canceled out a third of the overall estimated fraudulent money.” — Tony Kennett ([38:39])

• Debate Over Blame and Cultural Generalizations

  • Tony critiques both left and right for downplaying the explicitly Somali character of the fraud ring, pointing to cultural continuity and political statements privileging Somalia over the US ([43:25]–[46:54]).
  • Ann Coulter and others criticize sweeping generalizations, while Tony argues the community’s ideological cohesion and transnational loyalty justify the label “Somali fraud ring.”

• Policy Implications and Historical Parallels

  • Trump administration’s bans and thorough vetting defended as rational responses to migrant-related fraud ([47:00]).
  • Warning against naive assumptions of immigrant assimilation and the Bush-era mantra that “all cultures are equal.”
  • “There are cultures that are objectively better than other cultures.” — Tony Kennett [49:10]

E. Indiana Redistricting & Political Strategy

• Comparison to Cold War Detente
  • Tony equates the current redistricting battle to nuclear brinksmanship—states using all available power to force a negotiated peace ([51:24]).
  • John Fredericks reports live on the Indiana state legislature maneuvers to secure Republican advantage; outlines pressure on GOP holdouts and the Trump team’s readiness to primary “RINOs” with PAC money ([56:10]–[63:32]).

3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I don't think I've ever seen this many federal agencies investigating in one state since the 1920s in Indiana and Illinois, Chicago primarily...” — Tony Kennett [05:42]
• “Staffers are often appointed into positions after previous relationships and favors... this is freaking out Ilhan Omar.” — Tony Kennett [07:46]
• “Omar even introduced the bill when she was a state legislator in Minnesota that led to the $250 million in fraud.” — Tony Kennett [08:08]
• “As much as Trump and his cronies want to act like we have no power to respond... we are more powerful than we think we are.” — Ilhan Omar [09:51]
• “There's a really weird pattern in Minnesota of people being appointed to important positions and being given lots of money and a lot of oversight...and then being really, really horrible people.” — Tony Kennett [08:45]
• “And if you don't like that...there are cultures that are objectively better than other cultures.” — Tony Kennett [49:10]
• “Can we just put a stop to foreign NGOs until further notice? At some point you have to wonder how much good is being done for the amount of harm...” — Tony Kennett [23:17]
• “If you want to stay in the Republican ranks in the state Senate in Indiana...they will spend tens of millions of dollars to get you out.” — John Fredericks [61:45]
• “Congress sucks. I don’t like it. I really hate campaigning more than anything because it’s so linked to money and donations and speeches and all that...” — Tony Kennett on why he won’t run for office [72:45]

4. Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment/Topic | Speaker/Quote/Event | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|:-------------:| | Episode intro, context for breaking scandal | "The situation in Somalia is getting even worse..." — Tony Kennett | 00:38 | | Auditors & state whistleblowers ignored | Detailed timeline of ignored reports, scope of fraud jumps to $8–10B | 01:30–05:10 | | Number of federal agencies involved | "13, maybe 14... investigating in one state since the 1920s" — Tony Kennett | 05:42 | | Ilhan Omar’s staff, legislative history, and personal ties | Chadwick Moore’s New York Post report; photos with fraudsters | 07:00–11:12 | | Ilhan Omar’s video & Tony’s critique | “Using every single leverage…” — Ilhan Omar; Tony’s reaction | 09:51–10:29 | | Temporary Protected Status critique | History, policy criticism (George H.W. Bush) | 11:51–13:12 | | Community reaction & assimilation debate | “The only time that Ilhan Omar claims to be an American is when someone suggests...” | 13:12–15:40 | | NGO involvement and international ties (Hamas, Ukraine) | Virginia Allen details NGO Monitor report; Tony lambasts NGOs | 19:11–25:12 | | Ukraine corruption—NYT exposé | “Zelensky’s government sabotaged oversight...” — Tony reads headline | 25:53–30:19 | | Pipe bomber media example | Media’s racial framing; problems of misreporting | 32:48–35:40 | | Money flows, fraud vs. economic contribution | $67 million in taxes vs. billions in fraud ([38:05]) | 38:05–39:27 | | Political blame; Ann Coulter’s op-ed | Discussion of “Somali fraud ring” label and cultural issues | 43:25–49:10 | | Indiana Redistricting segment, John Fredericks reporting | Redistricting as brinksmanship; Trump influence in state politics | 51:24–63:32 | | Mailbag questions | On denaturalization, historical “Jim Crow” laws, Congress, Netflix/WB merger | 64:23–75:14 |

5. Structure & Tone

The episode is brash, unapologetically skeptical, and deeply critical of Minnesota's and the federal government's approach to immigration enforcement and oversight. Tony Kennett’s style is characteristically irreverent (e.g., frequent jokes and tangents), but the reporting is detailed with a clear through-line connecting local scandal, national immigration issues, and GOP political maneuvering.

Virginia Allen and Producer Nick contribute with detailed data points, specific references to official reports, and historical context, reinforcing Tony’s central points.

6. Summary for Non-Listeners

This episode is a dense, provocative look at the ballooning Minnesota Somali fraud scandal, connecting it to national failures in immigration and NGO oversight. Tony Kennett walks listeners through explosive new evidence, political finger-pointing, and the media’s neglect of the story in favor of less substantive reporting. The episode serves as a call for stricter enforcement, greater due diligence regarding NGOs, and a frank cultural conversation about the assimilation (or lack thereof) of some immigrant communities. The roundtable closes with a detailed look at how redistricting battles could affect the 2026 House landscape, showcasing how local, state, and national power struggles interlock.

Listeners seeking context, detail, and unfiltered conservative commentary on Minnesota’s evolving fraud scandal—along with broader immigration and political implications—will find this episode essential.