U.S. Rep. Michelle Fischbach said FBI raids targeting suspected fraud in Minnesota’s publicly funded social services programs are necessary to protect taxpayer dollars.
“Today’s FBI raids are necessary to stop criminals from taking dollars from hardworking, law-abiding Minnesotans. We have zero tolerance for those who steal from our families and our communities,” Fischbach said in an X post in response to the operations.
According to a Fox News report cited by Fischbach, federal agents executed search warrants at more than 20 locations in the Minneapolis area on April 28 as part of an ongoing fraud investigation into social welfare programs funded through Medicaid. The operation involved the FBI along with state and local authorities at multiple businesses, including child care centers.
An analysis by the Minnesota Reformer shows that the state paid more than $20 billion in Medicaid reimbursements across 14 programs identified as high risk for fraud between 2018 and 2025, with annual spending rising from about $2 billion in 2021 to $4.3 billion in 2025. The programs include services for autistic children and assistance helping disabled individuals live independently, many of which are now under federal review. One Medicaid fraud scheme alone involved $11 million in taxpayer funds.
Fischbach previously served as lieutenant governor of Minnesota and as president of the Minnesota Senate, becoming the first woman in state history to hold that position. She has represented Minnesota’s seventh congressional district in the U.S. House since 2021, according to her official website.
