The Tony Kinnett Cast – Ep. 472

Date: December 31, 2025
Host: Tony Kinnett, with guests including Rebecca Downs
Main Theme:
Unpacking the explosive revelations of widespread fake daycare centers used in multi-state fraud rings, centering on Somali migrant operations, Minnesota’s government response, and broader implications for federal spending and security. The episode also covers breaking international news on Iran’s missile tests, crackdown on protests, and related Middle Eastern developments.

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into a national scandal involving hundreds of fraudulent daycare centers, primarily in Minnesota, and the systemic failures in government oversight. Tony Kinnett exposes how Somali migrant-run facilities are siphoning off millions in taxpayer dollars, details bureaucratic excuses and media coverups, explores the spread of the scam to other states, and discusses the implications for federal funding programs. The show also features a rapid-fire update on Iran’s recent ballistic missile launches and political unrest. There’s a recurring throughline of incredulity, sarcasm, and sharp criticism of both local officials and national media.

Key Segments and Discussion Points

1. Minnesota’s Fake Daycare Scandal

[00:04 – 15:08]

The Cover Up and Public Explanations

• Tony likens the government response to childish excuses, mocking the lack of plausible deniability:

  “It really is unfortunate to share with all of you that the national Somali migrant fraud epidemic is getting worse. But what is perhaps more embarrassing is the lack of skill in the cover up.” (00:04)

• A specific Minneapolis daycare, “Quality Luring Center,” is highlighted for its bizarre defense via the owner’s son, who publicly denies all allegations but offers contradictory info about opening hours and operations.
• Notable Moment: Tony mocks that they can’t even spell “Learning” on the sign, questioning the competence to run a legitimate childcare operation.

Contradictions and State Response

• Tony details neighbors’ claims of never seeing children at these facilities, except for suspicious, possibly staged, occurrences.
• The state’s Department of Children’s Commissioner, Tiki Brown, is played giving a non-committal and bureaucratic response:

  “We do take the concerns that the video raises about fraud very seriously.” (07:18)

• Tony skewers her for omitting that the center had “over 80 violations” and for shifting stories on whether it was open or closed.
• Minnesota’s government inconsistencies are recapped through Tony’s biting metaphor:

  “Someone’s lying here. You can’t simultaneously have been open for eight and a half years and then have all of the state records show you’ve been open and closed more times than a fireworks store…” (08:05)

Pattern of Fraud

• Tony recounts a 2015 Fox 9 investigation showing parents checking children in, collecting state funds, then immediately taking their kids home.
• Media’s shifting tone since the scandal broke: Previously minimized, now scrambling to claim they’ve covered fraud “all along” (10:53).
• Governor Tim Walz is roasted for the predictable cycle:

  “…Once it’s exposed to the public and people are mad about it, he says, 'My message remains clear. If you threaten everything that makes our state a great place to live by committing fraud in Minnesota, you will be caught and prosecuted…' Then he ends up giving more money to the Somali migrant community.” (14:50)

2. The Spread to Other States: Ohio and Washington

[15:08 – 39:43]

Reporting from Ohio

• Rebecca Downs (Ohio correspondent) reports firsthand from outside Columbus on similar facilities:

  “…a video circulating on X … showed 161 Child Care LLC looking nothing like a real daycare center at all. It’s locked, says it's open… [calls go unanswered].” (16:44 – 17:55)

• Tony and Rebecca highlight red flags:
  • No children visible during purported business hours
  • All-new, identical wall posters – suspicious for a long-running operation
  • Phone number is either unanswered or leads to a generic voicemail
  • Door sign leftover from a prior retail store (“All Sales Final”)
• Tony makes a dark joke about the sticker:

  “Once you sell your kids, no backseats.” (19:07)

Legislative Response in Ohio

• State Rep. Josh Williams sends a formal letter demanding investigation:

  “The process there for Medicaid in Ohio is prime for fraud. At least now people are waking up and demanding accountability.” (21:09)

• Tony sums up the need for action and commends Rebecca’s on-the-ground reporting.

Washington State

• Tony and Cam Higby discuss a Seattle operation (Dagash Family Child Care):
  • Independent journalists find the location unstaffed, with neighbors or occupants denying any daycare business exists (39:43 – 40:17)
  • Despite denial, state records show they collected ~$210,000 in one year, registered for only three children.
• Tony boils down the scam:

  “If for three registered children … $210,000 just this year… when is Kiddit Childcare opening up? If we’re going to get out some of the federal moolah, shouldn’t we all get to share a little part of this?” (40:52 – 40:59)

• Public sleuthing: Americans increasingly use state databases to check legitimacy, leading to more widespread exposure of frauds.

3. Federal Response: HHS Action & Systemic Questions

[22:15 – 26:25]

• Jim O’Neill, Deputy Secretary of HHS:

  “…intrepid journalists have made shocking and credible allegations of extensive fraud in Minnesota’s child care programs. We believe the state of Minnesota has allowed scammers and fake daycares to siphon millions of taxpayer dollars over the past decade.” (22:51)

• Federal government has frozen all childcare payments to Minnesota and rolled out a “Defend the Spend” system nationwide, requiring photo receipts as proof for payment.

  “Starting today, we require a justification receipt or photo evidence before we make a payment.” (26:03)

• Tony is skeptical, noting it’s all just in time for AI-generated fake photo evidence, but praises the step as necessary to “find out where every dollar is going.”

4. Media Backlash & Threats Against Journalists

[44:00 – 49:09]

• Politico’s senior legal affairs reporter, Josh Gerstein, tweets:

  “At some point the amateur effort to knock on the doors of home daycares intersects with robust stand your ground laws.” (44:00)

• Tony accuses the legacy media of turning the issue upside down—defending fraudsters and inciting threats against independent watchdogs:

  “The legacy media has thrown that out the window. And instead they’ve gone all in on the real problem: these independent journalists walking around and looking stuff up.” (44:20)

5. International Update: Iran & Middle East Escalations

[29:54 – 36:45]

• Reports of Iranian regime conducting ballistic missile launches and violent repression of protests across multiple provinces.
• Tony recaps U.S. policy response, including oil tanker seizures and warnings from President Trump:

  “If they are, we’re going to have no choice but very quickly to eradicate that build up.” (29:54)

• Discussion of Saudi strikes on Yemeni ports, arms trafficking via UAE, and potential ramifications.
• Tony contextualizes these events as part of “peace through strength” foreign policy, lamenting its lack in domestic fraud enforcement.

6. Conspiracy Theories & Russian “Buzzer” Radio

[52:00 – 60:00]

• Tony debunks rumors: The Russian “buzzer” shortwave radio station playing Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake is not a signal of nuclear conflict or coup, just an old meme recycled by internet trolls.

7. Final Thoughts and Civic Engagement

• Tony urges listeners to continue their own research but warns against aggressive confrontation or vigilantism at legitimate businesses:

  “…just be careful. I really don’t want to hear of anyone who … gets in a rough situation or God forbid, harassing someone who is operating a daycare that is perfectly fine.” (49:35)

• Wryly predicts the cycle of fraud and cover-up will continue until institutional and political willingness to act changes.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Tony Kinnett on fraud coverups:

  “That's essentially the level of reason that is going into the fraud cover up in Minneapolis.” (00:29)

• On government spin:

  “Ah yes. So we don't like the independent journalist who did the work exposing this, but you know, we really take these claims very seriously.” (07:18)

• On the cycle of state response:

  “Yet again, a Somali migrant fraud ring is discovered. Records show Tim Walz ignored the fraud for years. And then Tim Walz responds, ‘Hey, don’t you commit fraud or be racist now, you hear?’ And then he ends up giving more money to the Somali migrant community.” (14:50)

• Rebecca Downs (Ohio):

  “It was very suspicious that there was no children present. There was one employee dressed in, you know, traditional Muslim garb.” (16:44)

• Jim O’Neill, HHS:

  “We believe the state of Minnesota has allowed scammers and fake daycares to siphon millions of taxpayer dollars over the past decade.” (22:51)

• On media criticism:

  “At some point the amateur effort to knock on the doors of home daycares intersects with robust stand your ground laws.” — Josh Gerstein, Politico (44:00)

• Cynical wrap-up:

  “I do want to thank a couple of our new channel members… The same with Super Chats. … Maybe it'll be a year in review roundup. Maybe it'll be the news of the day. I don't know yet. It depends on whether or not … Minnesota does more fraud. Okay, that's not really an if. That's more of a when.” (63:20)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Minnesota scandal deep dive: 00:04 – 15:08
• Ohio (with Rebecca Downs): 15:08 – 22:11
• HHS/federal response: 22:15 – 26:25
• Washington State/Seattle cases: 39:43 – 44:00
• Media backlash/stand your ground tweet: 44:00 – 49:09
• Iran missile news and Middle East update: 29:54 – 36:45
• Shortwave radio/“buzzer” meme: 52:00 – 60:00

Episode Tone and Style

• Sarcastic, incredulous, and combative: Tony Kinnett’s delivery is sharp-tongued and relentless, employing humor and outlandish analogies to skewer officials, media, and fraudsters.
• Feature-heavy, fast-paced: Moves briskly from state-level scandal to federal response to global affairs, yet ties themes together with a focus on accountability and civic vigilance.

Summary For New Listeners

If you missed the episode, Tony Kinnett unpacks how a multi-million-dollar daycare scam, largely tied to Somali migrant communities in Minnesota, has gone national—with states like Ohio and Washington now under scrutiny. The episode details the failed oversight, ridiculous bureaucratic doublespeak, and legacy media complicity. Tony’s team, including reporter Rebecca Downs, reviews evidence of fraud in new states and highlights the belated, partial federal clampdown. The conversation broadens to international security as Tony reports on Iran’s missile launches and unpacks conspiracies (like the Russian “buzzer”) with humor and skepticism. The show closes with a warning against vigilante action and a promise that unless the accountability cycle changes, new frauds are inevitable. The episode is a call both to investigate and to demand more from elected officials.