U.S. Treasury Probes Potential Misuse of Minnesota Welfare Funds by Terror Group

The U.S. Department of the Treasury is investigating if public assistance money from Minnesota was diverted to the terrorist organization al Shabaab. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed the inquiry. Al Shabaab is an Islamist militant group based in Somalia. It is formally affiliated with al Qaeda. The investigation focuses on whether state-administered welfare benefits, funded by taxpayer money, were illegally sent overseas. Authorities are examining potential fraud or misuse within benefit programs. Secretary Bessent did not provide further details, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation. The probe underscores continued concerns about the integrity of public assistance systems and terrorism financing.