Minnesota day cares brace for more compliance measures
Between 2020 and 2025, Minnesota officials say $2.4 million has been recovered in child care fraud, but a viral video by a conservative YouTuber put a national spotlight on the issue.
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Between 2020 and 2025, Minnesota officials say $2.4 million has been recovered in child care fraud, but a viral video by a conservative YouTuber put a national spotlight on the issue.
The focus on federal fraud investigations in Minnesota has Gov. Tim Walz ready to fight back. Esme Murphy was there as he answered questions about his dramatic decision to drop out of the race for a third term.
The feds are in town to tackle Minnesota's growing fraud crisis. It comes as state investigators conduct compliance checks. Our Conor Wight digs deeper into the fraud and how it's affecting Minnesota's child care system.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Monday reversed course by dropping out of the 2026 gubernatorial race amid intense scrutiny of his handling of the state's fraud scandal.
CBS News has learned the Trump administration is sending 2,000 more federal agents to the Twin Cities for a 30-day crackdown on immigration and fraud. Concern and confusion are growing in the state's Somali community. Ubah Ali spoke with a lawmaker who heard from them first-hand.
Gov. Tim Walz on Monday dropped his bid for a third term as he works on combatting Minnesota's fraud crisis. Ashley Grams spoke with a former governor about Walz's decision to walk away.
Gov. Tim Walz says he's no longer seeking a third term. On Monday, he ended his reelection campaign. As Caroline Cummings reports, the decision comes amid mounting scrutiny of his administration's handling of the state's fraud scandal.
The Trump administration says it's begun deploying hundreds more federal agents to the Twin Cities. In an update today, the Department of Homeland Security said it's already made more than 1,000 immigration arrests over the past few weeks. As Jason Rantala reports, with a major surge of federal resources to Minnesota, they're expecting to make fraud busts, too.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says he is dropping his reelection campaign amid increased criticism over his handling of fraud in the state. WCCO's Caroline Cummings joins the Live Desk to talk about what happens now.
The director of the School Readiness Learning Academy, Monique Stumon, prepared on Friday to welcome kids back to her Minneapolis day care centers after the holiday break. As 2026 begins, she doesn't know what to expect.
Minnesota officials on Friday revealed what inspectors say they discovered after rechecking nine of the child care centers discussed in a conservative YouTuber's viral video. WCCO's Conor Wight reports.
Kelly Loeffler says 6,900 borrowers were suspended for 7,900 PPP and EIDL loans worth approximately $400 million.
Audits completed in the past 10 years show that Minnesota has lacked the teeth to properly vet attendance records and go after possible fraudsters proactively.
Right now, Minnesota's child care system is in the national spotlight. But months ago, the federal government told state officials they needed to make serious improvements. As our Conor Wight shows us, the state was told that a lack of oversight could increase the risk of fraud, waste and abuse.
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer said the hearing will take place Jan. 7.
Republican Minnesota state Rep. Walter Hudson hopes the hearings raise awareness of the fraud problem on a national scale, but with a bit more focus than flair.
A congressional watchdog committee wants to grill Minnesota leaders about the state's multi-million-dollar fraud crisis. House Oversight hearings start on Capitol Hill next week. The committee's Republican chairman just accused top Minnesota Democrats of being asleep at the wheel, or worse. Jeff Wagner explains the high stakes heading into an election year.
Advocates and providers are warning that if federal funding is withheld, legitimate day cares in Minnesota won't be able to survive.
The Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday it has frozen federal child care funding for the state of Minnesota, citing viral fraud allegations.
A Minneapolis day care says that vandals damaged the facility early this week, after a YouTube video purporting to expose fraud among day cares in the Twin Cities metro area went viral.
The ringleader of what authorities called the largest pandemic fraud case in the United States has been ordered to forfeit more than $5 million.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says it's freezing child care funds for Minnesota after a YouTuber claimed to uncover fraudulent centers in a viral video. Some of the featured child care centers are firing back.
Emmer's post comes after a viral video alleging nearly a dozen day care centers in Minnesota engaged in fraud.
Federal officials now say they're freezing payments to Minnesota child care centers while they investigate claims of fraud. Reporter Ashley Grams is digging further into the viral social media claims that reignited this latest fraud investigation.
Minnesota Congressman Tom Emmer is calling for the deportation of Somali U.S. citizens tied to fraud. But could that happen legally? Jason Rantala has the answer.
Maybe you've experienced the "Sunday scaries" which is when you worry about the looming work week or wish you could have accomplished more over the weekend. The "August blues" create similar feelings, one being regret.
People gathered at Downtown Park in Hopkins, Minnesota, on Monday night to mourn the deaths of 7-year-old Evie Brown, Kristen Brown and Alice Brown.
A 30-year-old man charged in a Medicaid fraud scheme is linked to several people accused of running a sex trafficking operation in Hennepin County, Minnesota, according to court documents.
Josh Bell's two-run double started the scoring in a four-run first inning, and the Minnesota Twins held on to beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2.
The Dakota County Sheriff's Office is looking for information about a 40-year-old man who was found dead in the Mississippi River near Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, on Friday.
People gathered at Downtown Park in Hopkins, Minnesota, on Monday night to mourn the deaths of 7-year-old Evie Brown, Kristen Brown and Alice Brown.
A 30-year-old man charged in a Medicaid fraud scheme is linked to several people accused of running a sex trafficking operation in Hennepin County, Minnesota, according to court documents.
The Dakota County Sheriff's Office is looking for information about a 40-year-old man who was found dead in the Mississippi River near Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, on Friday.
With the season opener around the corner at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, there's a big question: Which passer will pass the other?
An undercover video could land a handful of activists in legal trouble. They pretended to be Minnesota voters during the primary.
Williams and Hall Outfitters in Ely has been in business for 33 years.
More than six fire departments responded in the middle of the night to Kingsway Senior Living, and staff say it took a village to relocate everyone to Belle Plaine High School for temporary shelter.
An individual is dead after a police officer shot at them with their service weapon on the Red Lake Nation Thursday, according to a special agent with the FBI.
Families heading west to the Black Hills this summer might make a stop at the Crazy Horse Memorial near Mount Rushmore. The memorial has a Minnesota connection that tells the story of the site.
More Minnesota communities are parting ways with Flock Safety and dropping the automatic license plate-reading cameras. On Thursday, the Sherburne County Sheriff's Office joined the list and announced they will no longer use the cameras.
The crash happened at approximately 7:12 a.m. on westbound I-94 at milepost 13 in St. Croix County near Roberts, Wisconsin, according to the State Patrol.
Wisconsin residents headed to the polls Tuesday — or voted early — to have their say in the 2026 primary. Here are live results.
Progressive candidates for governor in Wisconsin and U.S. Senate in Minnesota are making their final pushes ahead of Tuesday's election.
Authorities have released the name of the Madison police officer who shot and killed a 38-year-old Black man last month in Wisconsin's capital city, Madison.
David Crowley, backed by Gov. Tony Evers, faces democratic socialist Francesca Hong in a Wisconsin primary that could signal how far left the Democratic Party is willing to go.
Crews in St. Paul, Minnesota, are clearing out the city's largest encampment on Wednesday.
After officials in Minnesota's capital city announced they would shut down encampments for those experiencing homelessness, the City Council approved more than $1 million to expand capacity at local shelters.
The city of St. Paul, Minnesota, is taking a stand and closing encampments amid growing concerns.
Baseball fans might remember the Metrodome's iconic blue seats, and now in Atwater, Minnesota, spectators can once again grab a blue seat and watch a game.
Tucked away in the Midway neighborhood in St. Paul is a community treasure many have come to love and respect.
An undercover video could land a handful of activists in legal trouble. They pretended to be Minnesota voters during the primary.
They donned disguises and secretly recorded inside Minnesota polling places during the primary. The activists also dropped the name of a real voter in the state. That voter says he was shocked. Esme Murphy spoke with him.
Zach Lahn won the Iowa Republican gubernatorial primary over Trump's endorsed candidate, but three months before Election Day, many in his own party say they still don't know who he is.
In the aftermath of the primary, Republicans in Minnesota are more optimistic about their November chances than they ever have been.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s closed-door research has yet to produce evidence linking vaccines and autism.
A Minnesota woman says she fainted, spiked a 102-degree fever, and was hospitalized with sepsis three days after eating a chicken burrito bowl at a Chipotle in Roseville, and genetic testing connected her case to a multistate outbreak, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday.
Parents will be digging deeper into their wallets this back-to-school season.
Get ready to watch movies and television with clarity like never before. That's how industry experts are describing the latest TV technology now on sale exclusively at Best Buy.
A lottery player in Minnesota won a jackpot of more than $34 million last week, a record for the Lotto America game in the state.
The lawsuit accuses Loon of using "kid-friendly characters" to promote its vapes in flavors such as Cotton Candy, Strawberry Popsicle, Banana Taffy and Blue Razz Slushy.
A 30-year-old man charged in a Medicaid fraud scheme is linked to several people accused of running a sex trafficking operation in Hennepin County, Minnesota, according to court documents.
Luigi Mangione's New York state trial on second-degree murder charges is being delayed.
The long-unsolved drive-by shooting gripped the hip-hop community, partly because no one was charged until Duane "Keffe D" Davis was indicted in 2023.
A Minneapolis man who ran a multi-year Medicaid fraud scheme pleaded guilty Monday.
Police are investigating after the owner of a St. Paul restaurant said thieves broke in and stole $1,300 Sunday morning.
Maybe you've experienced the "Sunday scaries" which is when you worry about the looming work week or wish you could have accomplished more over the weekend. The "August blues" create similar feelings, one being regret.
In a wide-ranging interview with the CBS News partner BBC News, Hunter Biden grew emotional as he discussed his father's condition, describing it as very sad to watch.
Back-to-back tainted food outbreaks have a lot of people asking what's safe to bring home from the grocery store.
A Minnesota woman says she fainted, spiked a 102-degree fever, and was hospitalized with sepsis three days after eating a chicken burrito bowl at a Chipotle in Roseville, and genetic testing connected her case to a multistate outbreak, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday.
The system uses light tracing and more than 1,500 data points to create a personalized treatment plan.
Co-stars and friends of Hayden Panettiere are remembering her for her friendship, intelligence and talent after her shocking death on Sunday.
Hayden Panettiere, who starred in "Remember the Titans" as a child actor and rose to fame in the series "Heroes," has died at the age of 36. The coroner's office says she was found in cardiac arrest.
WCCO is tracking everything you can go out and do 4 Your Weekend, including a slate of county fairs.
Rod Stewart, who is 81, is recovering from a "routine coronary stent procedure," according to his team. He had been scheduled to perform at the Grandstand on Sept. 1 alongside Richard Marx.
Singers at Eastview High School in Apple Valley, Minnesota, are warming up for their performance on stage with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band Foreigner.
Josh Bell's two-run double started the scoring in a four-run first inning, and the Minnesota Twins held on to beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2.
With the season opener around the corner at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, there's a big question: Which passer will pass the other?
Flag football is exploding in popularity among girls in Minnesota. In 2025, when girls flag football started in high schools, there were 51 schools. In 2026, there are 104 teams.
Jamal Adams, the hybrid defender the Minnesota Vikings signed this offseason to bolster Brian Flores' unit, won't play this year after suffering a preseason injury, the NFL Network reports.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson has made the NFL Top 100 for the sixth straight year.
In the aftermath of the primary, Republicans in Minnesota are more optimistic about their November chances than they ever have been.
In the aftermath of the primary, Republicans in Minnesota are more optimistic about their November chances than they ever have been.
The candidates for the Minnesota general election are all set, and the campaigns are shifting into a higher gear.
The Minnesota primary is Tuesday, with the final barrage of political ads in overdrive and candidates making their final pitches.
The Minnesota primary is Tuesday, with the final barrage of political ads in overdrive and candidates making their final pitches.
Keith Richardson is a home brewer and beer memorabilia collector. His collection got so big that, two years ago, he moved everything into an old toy store near downtown Lanesboro and opened the Hammarama Museum and Gift Shop.
Passing trains and scenic bluffs are a big part of Buffalo County, Wisconsin, but in the middle of it all is a garden where creativity and flowers grow together, all courtesy of a man named Herman Rusch.
Thousands of pictures of Split Rock Lighthouse are taken each year. And oftentimes a little island appears in those photos. Ellingsen Island has developed a following of its own.
There's a scenic, nearly century-old spot in St. Cloud, Minnesota, where right now you'll find thousands of flowers in bloom.
Baseball fans might remember the Metrodome's iconic blue seats, and now in Atwater, Minnesota, spectators can once again grab a blue seat and watch a game.
Maybe you've experienced the "Sunday scaries" which is when you worry about the looming work week or wish you could have accomplished more over the weekend. The "August blues" create similar feelings, one being regret.
As if the constant barrage of political ads wasn't enough, some WCCO viewers are particularly bothered by the language candidates are using.
There's a certain elegance to the common loon. Its black and white plumage carries a gentle sheen of green as though dressed for a formal affair. Subtle colors that allow its piercing red eyes to steal your gaze.
Parents will be digging deeper into their wallets this back-to-school season.
Minnesotans have become quite familiar with drought in recent years. Not only how it affects the water supply, but also the rules that can come with it.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new foods for 2026.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Tuesday night.
A look at the newest addition to the polar bear population at St. Paul, Minnesota's Como Zoo.
From food shelves to school programs, our team is proud to serve where it matters most.
A line of showers and embedded thunderstorms will move through parts of northern and central Minnesota on Monday evening, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
WCCO meteorologist Chris Shaffer says round 1 of scattered showers rolls through tonight.
We could see showers early tomorrow, mainly south, with another wave possible late afternoon, WCCO meteorologist Mike Augustyniak reports.
Showers and storms will move into the Twin Cities late Monday night, says meteorologist Lisa Meadows.
The calendar shows there is still more than a month left of summer. Yet, many feel like the season has already slipped away. In this Good Question, Jeff Wagner explains why August can get a bad rap and shares how to beat the late summer blues.
People gathered in Hopkins on Monday night to remember Kristen Brown, Evie Brown and Alice Brown. Police say Kristen Brown's husband attacked her and Evie Brown at their daycare on Wednesday before taking his own life. Officials say Alice Brown was found dead in Burnsville earlier in the day after an apparent stabbing. Ashley Grams was at the vigil.
The Chaska City Council has voted to temporarily adjust alcohol laws during some special events this fall and winter. Guests will be able to buy an alcoholic beverage and walk within an approved area of the city during the events.
A 30-year-old man charged in a Medicaid fraud scheme is linked to several people accused of running a sex trafficking operation in Hennepin County, according to court documents. WCCO's Adam Duxter details the alleged scheme.
The Minnesota Vikings have named their starting quarterback, but there's still another QB competition on a team that wears purple still going on. Ren Clayton has more from the St. Thomas football team.