Mysterious Break-In at Minneapolis Daycare Amid Escalating Fraud Allegations

Minneapolis, MN — December 31, 2025

A Somali-run childcare center in south Minneapolis was targeted in an overnight burglary this week, with staff claiming that sensitive documents related to employees and enrolled children were stolen — just days after the facility came under intense scrutiny in a viral video alleging widespread fraud in Minnesota's daycare system.

Nokomis Daycare Center Inc., located in a strip mall off Bloomington Avenue, was discovered vandalized on Tuesday morning when a cleaner arrived around 6 a.m. A burglar had reportedly used tools to smash through several cinder blocks in a back wall, tearing out insulation to crawl inside. The office door was also damaged, and managers say important paperwork, including payroll records and client files, went missing.

"We’re honest; we don’t do any fraud or nothing," said Nasrulah Mohamed, the 20-year-old manager of the center, in a statement to local media. He described the incident as sparking "immense fear" within the Somali community, already facing heightened threats and harassment. Staff held a news conference on Wednesday to denounce the break-in, linking it to a surge in threatening phone calls — about 20 since Saturday — following the release of a controversial online video.

The timing of the burglary has raised eyebrows, occurring amid a national firestorm over alleged fraud in Minnesota's childcare and social services programs, many operated by members of the state's large Somali diaspora. A viral video posted last week by conservative YouTuber Nick Shirley documented visits to several Minneapolis daycares, including sites he claimed appeared empty or inactive despite receiving millions in public funds. The video, which has garnered millions of views and shares from high-profile figures, accused Somali-run centers of misappropriating over $100 million in taxpayer money.

Nokomis Daycare was among the facilities highlighted in online discussions inspired by Shirley's footage, with some social media users reporting no visible child activity at the location. The broader scandal has roots in earlier cases, including a $250 million COVID-era food aid fraud scheme centered on the nonprofit Feeding Our Future, where dozens of defendants — predominantly Somali Americans — have been convicted.

In response to the escalating allegations, the Trump administration has frozen all federal childcare payments to Minnesota, blocking $185 million in annual aid, while surging FBI and DHS resources into investigations. Federal prosecutors have alleged that billions in funds across various programs may have been stolen since 2018.Minneapolis police are investigating the Nokomis burglary but told reporters that their initial report indicated nothing was stolen from the office or center — a discrepancy with staff accounts. No suspects have been identified, and authorities have not commented on potential motives.

Community leaders have decried the incident as possible intimidation tied to the fraud probe backlash, while skeptics online have questioned the selective theft of documents potentially relevant to ongoing audits. As federal scrutiny intensifies, the break-in adds another layer of intrigue to a story gripping the state and nation. The investigation remains ongoing.

17GEN4.com