Tipsheet

Did the Face of Somali Daycare Fraud in Minnesota Shut Down?

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  January 10, 2026 6:50 AM

The problem with this story is that we’ve heard about previous daycares that have been shut down but were still collecting government funds and ‘operational’ in the sense that people were inside. They might have been watching television, but there were people. In Minnesota and elsewhere nationwide, a vast network of Somali-led fraud via medical and child care scams has been unearthed, the first salvo being shot by YouTuber Nick Shirley, who got the federal government involved in the Minneapolis cases and forced Gov. Tim Walz to abandon his re-election run. 

The face of this daycare scheme was the “Learing” Center, which was supposed to have dozens of kids enrolled, but none were found. The managers tried to claim Shirley visited them during off-hours. In this country, daylight means you’re open, and no one in this field operates from 2 pm-7 pm. It’s now become a soft tourist spot, where influencers are doing skits mocking the alleged fraud. This center is supposedly closed now (via CBS News): 

A Minneapolis day care featured in a right-wing YouTuber's video about alleged fraud in Minnesota is now closed, according to state records. 

Quality Learning Center closed on Tuesday, according to the Minnesota Department of Human Services' licensing records. The Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families said that the center requested closure of its license effective Tuesday. 

"The provider is unable to reopen without reapplying for a license," the agency reported.  

The center's last licensing review, in June, found several operational violations but noted no evidence of fraud. 

In a video posted late last month, Nick Shirley visited nearly a dozen day care centers in Minnesota, alleging they were receiving public funds but not actually providing any service. Quality Learning Center was among those targeted. When Shirley visited, the center's sign had a typo that was subsequently corrected. 

Yeah, I don’t know. Again, we’ve heard many centers closing, only to reopen under a different name. Another thing Shirley did was cut off the government spigot to these facilities. The Department of Health and Human Services announced that child care payments would cease until this matter was resolved. On Friday, the Trump administration also suspended SNAP benefits, with the US Department of Labor reviewing the state's unemployment benefits.