Questions remain, licensing site crashes as whiplash ensues in MN childcare fraud scandal
Minnesota licensing website crashes amid childcare fraud scandal as Quality Learning Center receives $1.9 million despite alleged spelling error and closure confusion.
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State records disappearing online and officials' failure to return phone calls has led confusion to mount about a heavily scrutinized Minnesota childcare center and other largely Somali-run facilities operating in the Twin Cities. And viral videos have fueled fresh questions about alleged systemic fraud.
Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) Commissioner Tikki Brown reportedly said Monday that the 10 facilities visited by blogger Nick Shirley were also visited by state officials at least once in the past six months but that checks are ensuing again after the videos went viral, according to FOX-9.
Meanwhile, new attention to the childcare scandal appeared to lead the otherwise mundane Minnesota Department of Human Services Licensing Information Lookup website to crash and be down for several hours overnight.
'NO WAY' WALZ ADMINISTRATION WAS UNAWARE OF MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL, EMMER SAYS
A FOX-9 reporter tweeted an image of the downed page on Monday, and Fox News Digital encountered the same message Tuesday morning. However, by midday Tuesday, the site appeared to have regained connectivity.
Much of the scrutiny focused on License No. 1087038, tied to the Quality Learning Center – whose sign misspells its name as "Quality Learing Center" – which reportedly received $1.9 million in state funding in fiscal year 2025.
Calls and emails to multiple offices within the Department of Human Services (MNDHS) and DCYF for confirmation on whether the center is continuing to receive funding went unanswered Tuesday.
FEDS LAUNCH 'MASSIVE' INVESTIGATION AFTER VIRAL VIDEO ALLEGES MINNESOTA DAYCARE FRAUD
Fox News Digital reached out to MNDHS’ licensing division, "provider hub," Brown’s office, and MNDHS’ communications office. A person who picked up at the main switchboard directed Fox News Digital to an extension for a Brown staffer as well as another extension that also went to a mailbox. None of the messages were returned by deadline.
The Quality Learning Center had alerted officials on December 19 that it would be closing, according to FOX-9, but by Monday afternoon, officials told the outlet the center had decided to remain open.
While officials did not return requests for confirmation to Fox News Digital, FOX-9 reported that Brown had said none of those centers featured in Shirley’s videos – including the Quality Learning Center – had their state funding paused due to fraud concerns.
