For some time President Trump has been criticized for singling out Somalians in his travel bans.
And for some time people have warned that large populations of Somalians in Ohio and Minnesota needed to be watched. They were called racists. And now we find out for a very long time, Somalians have been committing welfare fraud and sending the money to radical groups back in their home country. Fox News and investigated and found that at least $100 million has been sent out of the country to Islamic radicals.
They scammed welfare through an elaborate daycare scam.
Fox 9 reported:
This story begins at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, where mysterious suitcases filled with cash have become a common carry-on.
On the morning of March 15, Fox 9 chased a tip about a man who was leaving the country. Sources said he took a carry-on bag through security that was packed with $1 million in cash. Travelers can do that, as long as they fill out the proper government forms.
Fox 9 learned that these cloak-and-dagger scenarios now happen almost weekly at MSP. The money is usually headed to the Middle East, Dubai and points beyond. Sources said last year alone, more than $100 million in cash left MSP in carry-on luggage.
The national, go-to expert on what is behind these mysterious money transfers is Glen Kerns.
“What we were interested in is where it was going,” Kerns said.
He is a former Seattle police detective who spent 15 years on the FBI’s joint terrorism task force, until his retirement.
“It’s an outright crime, it’s unbelievable,” he said.
Kerns tracked millions of dollars in cash that was leaving on flights from Seattle.
It was coming from Hawalas, businesses used to courier money to countries that have no official banking system.
Some immigrant communities rely on Hawalas to send funds to help impoverished relatives back home.
Kerns discovered some of the money was being funneled to a Hawala in the region of Somalia that is controlled by the al Shabaab terrorist group.
There were 10 daycare centers who would bill welfare and as soon as payment was made, the money would be wired to the United Arab Emirates.
A little background on the welfare fraud:
The state would pay a daycare’s bill and within hours of the money showing up in the business’s bank account, funds were being wired to the United Arab Emirates.
Those wire transfers stopped after a few centers were busted.
Which brings us back to those mysterious suitcases at Minneapolis-St. Paul International.
In 2015, investigators documented $14 million in carry on cash. By 2016, it had mushroomed to $84 million. Then last year, $100 million.
A trend all too familiar to former terrorism investigator Glen Kerns.
Fox 9 asked him how likely it is that some of the money is going towards terrorism?
“I say absolutely, our sources tell us that. Good sources, from the community leaders,” he said. “My personal opinion is we need a nationwide task force to clamp down on this type of fraud.”
“FOX NEWS INVESTIGATES: For five months, Fox 9 Minnesota has been investigating what appears to be rampant fraud resulting in terrorist funding. State Senator @jimabeler discussed the status of the investigation with @ShannonBream last night.”
FOX NEWS INVESTIGATES: For five months, Fox 9 Minnesota has been investigating what appears to be rampant fraud resulting in terroist funding. https://t.co/kmPwAqzNqG
State Senator @jimabeler discussed the status of the investigation with @ShannonBream last night. pic.twitter.com/xxBilQfOfg— Fox News @ Night (@foxnewsnight) May 16, 2018
Once again taxpayers are shelling out their hard earned money to support terrorism.