ST. PAUL, minnesota, January 7, 2026 – Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison dismissed the state’s staggering $250 million welfare fraud scandal as “political theater” even as records show his campaign accepted $10,000 in donations from individuals later convicted in the scheme. The revelation has ignited a firestorm of criticism, raising questions about oversight and potential conflicts of interest in the handling of the case.
Fraud Scandal Dismissed as ‘Political Theater’
Despite accepting donations from convicted fraudsters, Minnesota’s Attorney General downplays the severity of the $250 million scandal.
- Attorney General Ellison characterized the fraud case as politically motivated, drawing parallels to the Benghazi investigations.
- His campaign received $10,000 in donations from individuals subsequently convicted in the scheme.
- The scandal centers around the alleged misuse of federal funds intended to feed children during the pandemic.
- Republicans are demanding greater scrutiny of Ellison’s handling of the investigation.
Ellison expressed frustration with what he described as relentless questioning from Republicans regarding his office’s prosecution efforts, asserting the issue was being exaggerated for political gain. “We’re serious about convicting people for stealing money that is going or supposed to go to poor people. It’s a serious issue,” CNN reported. He likened the scrutiny to past investigations, such as those surrounding the Benghazi attack.
The pressure on Ellison to thoroughly investigate the case intensified after it was revealed that he had received $10,000 in campaign contributions from individuals who would later be convicted of participating in the fraud, which allegedly diverted $250 million from a federal program designed to provide meals to children during the pandemic.
The Minnesota Fraud Scheme: A Closer Look
According to The Center for the American Experiment conservative group, records show Ellison met with Salim Said, who was convicted on 21 counts related to the case, and alleged co-conspirator Ikram Mohamed while campaigning. Gandi Mohamed, Mohamed’s brother and also a defendant in the case, contributed $2,500 – the maximum individual donation allowed – just days after the meeting.
Ellison’s campaign accepted three additional $2,500 donations linked to Feeding Our Future on the same day as Gandi Mohamed’s contribution.
Brian Evans, a spokesperson for Ellison, stated that the attorney general “had no way of knowing these people were connected to the FBI’s investigation” when he accepted their campaign contributions.
