Audit finds Minnesota agency’s lax oversight fostered theft of $250M from federal food aid program

By STEVE KARNOWSKI
Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A watchdog report says a Minnesota state agency’s inadequate oversight of a federal program that was meant to provide food to kids created the opportunities that led to the theft of $250 million in one of the country’s largest pandemic aid fraud cases. The Office of the Legislative Auditor says the state Department of Education “failed to act on warning signs” and “did not effectively exercise its authority.” Seventy people have been charged for their alleged roles. The state agency disputes the findings and says it has strengthened its oversight capabilities. But Republican legislative leaders say the report shows that the failure to stop the fraud lies with the administration of Democratic Gov. Tim Walz.