After YouTuber Nick Shirley’s viral video raised fraud alarms about Somali-run daycares in Minnesota late last year, independent sleuths turned their focus to Ohio—home of America’s second-largest Somali population behind Minnesota.
Now, Ohio authorities are investigating a spate of videos and internet tips from the public. During a visit to Columbus, where the Ohio Somali population is concentrated, The Epoch Times interviewed a Somali woman who alleges that the daycare where she works is committing fraudulent activity.
The worker, who spoke anonymously to avoid retribution, agreed with state officials and members of the Columbus Somali community who say that the scope and nature of fraud in Ohio have not yet become clear. People of other ethnicities are perpetrating fraud, too, she added.
Dan Tierney, spokesman for Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, said aggressive anti-fraud efforts predate the current surge of concerns.
“The idea that people might try to defraud government systems is not new to us,” he told The Epoch Times.
“We want to work to fight it hard, and we also acknowledge the role of concerned citizens in the process, and we want their tips.”
Ohio Somalis told The Epoch Times that although they doubt fraud is widespread, they welcome the investigations and hope violators are punished.
Ohio state Sen. George Lang said that while there is no indication of systemic fraud in Ohio thus far, “we are still investigating.”
“There is a clear difference between Ohio’s system and the shocking disconnect and disregard in Minnesota,” Lang told The Epoch Times.
Ohio uses an electronic system to verify that children are attending a daycare before payments are rendered, and check-ins include a personal identification number from parents; Minnesota requires daily attendance records but hasn’t clamped down enough on providers who failed to comply, a May 2025 federal audit found.
In addition, Minnesota state lawmakers say whistleblowers have been punished for voicing concerns about Somalis committing fraud and have been accused of racism or Islamophobia. The Epoch Times was unable to find reports of similar retaliation in Ohio.
Lang and Tierney said the state is committed to investigating fraud concerns—and has been doing so for decades.
“We should throw the book at those found to have abused taxpayer funds,“ Lang said, adding that strong consequences will “deter others from doing the same.”
However, a Somali woman in her 20s—wearing a hijab, the traditional Muslim headscarf for women—told The Epoch Times she thinks fraud is occurring on a large scale.
“It’s actually deeper than you guys think,” she said.
“I’ve been praying every day” that people would come and investigate, she said, “for a very long time.”
The Somali woman, who agreed to be called “Miss J,” said she dislikes seeing people take advantage of the system.
“It bothers me. It makes me feel guilty, because I’m not used to lying,” she said. She also worries that children aren’t getting the socialization and education they need.
“They’re starting school [at] like 5 years old … [and] they don’t even know how to hold the pencil at that age,” she said. “Sometimes, they don’t know their ABCs … they don’t know the basic things.”
Many videos posted online show Ohio Somali-run daycares that appear to be devoid of children, raising concerns that the centers could be fraudulently billing government programs for absent or non-existent children.
However, children were indeed present at the Columbus facility where Miss J works.
Sounds of children laughing, running, and playing could be heard in a hallway outside a secure steel door.
The Epoch Times is not naming the childcare center to avoid disclosing Miss J’s identity.
Online searches revealed that the center has been in operation for more than a decade. It has been repeatedly cited for violations, including recordkeeping issues, improper medication storage, untrained staff, and having too many children under the supervision of a single employee.
Other center employees declined to talk to The Epoch Times.
About a half-dozen other Somalis in Columbus who spoke to The Epoch Times said they, too, want investigators to ferret out the truth. Most, however, said the accusations appear to be aimed at vilifying Somalis as a group.
“It is a smear campaign,” said a man named Mustafa, a 35-year-old hospital professional who spoke to The Epoch Times at Safari Coffee, a popular Somali hangout.
He and other Ohio Somalis said they resent people who have gone into businesses and neighborhoods while recording videos. Many of those who call themselves journalists do not seem to be searching for the truth, he said.
“I just feel like they have a narrative that they want to portray, and they just came to get something that fits their narrative,” Mustafa said.
While some people have been respectful, other camera-wielding self-styled investigators show up and “just start demanding things,” he said.
DeWine, in a Jan. 5 news conference, warned people that they cannot try to barge into day care centers while attempting to document suspicions of fraud.
“It shouldn’t be a shock when someone sees something on social media, and someone is going, ‘I can’t get into this place, no one will let me in.’” DeWine said.
Ohio prohibits people from entering childcare centers unless they are employees, parents or guardians of children at the center, or those who work for investigative agencies. Those laws are designed to protect children, the governor said, and parents ought to appreciate that fact.
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—Janice Hisle
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