Viral Fraud Video Sparks Scrutiny at Minneapolis Day Care

On a quiet downtown Minneapolis block, a day care that critics say usually sits dark and empty suddenly appeared full of life Monday, drawing renewed attention after a viral video accused it of being part of a massive…

Andrew PowellDec 30, 20253 min read

Sponsored

Loading post…

On Monday, Ibrahim Ali — identified as the son of the owners and the center’s manager — pushed back on the claims, saying Shirley showed up before the facility opened.

“Do you go to a coffee shop at 11 p.m. and say, ‘Hey, they’re not working?’” Ali told The Post.

Ali also addressed the now-viral typo on the center’s exterior sign, blaming a graphic designer.

“What I understand is dealt with a graphic designer. He did it incorrectly. I guess they didn’t think it was a big issue,” said Ali, 26, adding, “That’s gonna be fixed.”

Ali said about 16 children were inside the center on Monday afternoon.

As reporters observed the location, tensions flared. A woman opening the center at 2 p.m. dismissed Shirley’s reporting outright.

“We don’t have Fraud. That’s a lie,” she said, before adding, “I don’t want to talk to you. I want to talk to my lawyer.”

Outside, another worker became confrontational, pulling out his phone to record a reporter.

“Don’t f–king come to this area. Get the f–k out of here,” the employee said.

Shirley’s video emerged amid a sweeping investigation into Minnesota’s taxpayer-funded social services, including child care programs. Authorities estimate up to $9 billion may have been siphoned through alleged fraudulent claims for services that were never provided.

Elsewhere in the city, ICE agents visited ABC Learning Center on Monday morning as part of the broader probe.

“They wanted two months of attendance , we gave them two months of attendance,” said Ahmed Hasan, the center’s director. “He said they were going to check if everything was correct.”

Hasan said fear has gripped many operators since the videos began circulating.

“That time, ICE was coming for the Somali community. We were scared to open the door,” he said. “They come with eight people. Five of them had masks. We thought they were ICE.”

Hasan described the allegations as politically motivated, calling the focus on Somali-run centers “a targeted situation” and “a political game.”

Watch the videos below:

Loading post…