TSA Agents saw Somali men flying out of Arizona with suitcases full of cash

TSA Whistleblowers Allege Pattern of Large Cash Shipments by Somali Travelers at U.S. Airports

Phoenix and Minneapolis — Recent claims from Transportation Security Administration (TSA) whistleblowers have raised questions about the handling of large sums of cash carried by Somali travelers through U.S. airports, amid ongoing investigations into multimillion-dollar fraud schemes in Minnesota's Somali community.

A current TSA agent in Phoenix contacted the social media account Libs of TikTok on December 31, 2025, alleging that a Somali man holding a Minnesota driver's license passes through Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport every 7-10 days carrying a suitcase containing approximately $250,000 in cash. The individual reportedly described himself as a "registered courier" transporting funds from families in Minnesota to relatives in Sudan and Somalia via Dubai. The agent claimed to have the passenger's name and offered it to federal authorities for investigation.

This account echoes earlier testimony from Liz Jaksa, a former TSA agent who worked at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport from 2016 to 2021. In a December 2025 interview with Alpha News, Jaksa described repeatedly screening suitcases "filled with millions of dollars of cash," carried by Somali men traveling in pairs. She estimated that up to $1 billion in cash may have passed through the airport over five years, with travelers routinely cleared after brief law enforcement checks, including ID verification and photography.

Jaksa also recalled one instance involving a carry-on filled with brand-new passports. Travelers were allowed to proceed after documentation was reviewed, according to her account. "It certainly seemed like it happened every week," she said, noting the consistent pattern.

The allegations have surfaced amid scrutiny of alleged fraud in Minnesota's social services programs, including the high-profile Feeding Our Future case, where prosecutors claim hundreds of millions in taxpayer funds intended for child nutrition were diverted. Some reports link the cash movements to these schemes, though no direct evidence of illegality in the airport incidents has been confirmed.

Carrying large amounts of cash through TSA checkpoints is permitted under U.S. law, provided amounts over $10,000 are declared for international flights via Customs and Border Protection forms to comply with anti-money laundering rules. Failure to declare can result in seizure, but whistleblowers claim proper procedures were followed and travelers were waived through.

Mainstream media outlets have not independently verified the whistleblower claims, which have primarily circulated on conservative news sites and social media. Federal authorities, including the Department of Transportation and FBI, have been tagged in related posts but have not issued public statements on the matter.

Critics argue the reports highlight potential gaps in oversight, while others caution that the claims remain anecdotal and unconfirmed by official investigations. The stories continue to fuel debate over immigration, fraud, and airport security protocols.

17GEN4.com