(NewsNation) — Former Republican Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty believes investigations into multiple fraud cases in the state will end up revealing the “largest amount of public fraud in the history of the country.”
The federal government has launched investigations into potential social services aid fraud, where hundreds of millions of dollars intended for a federally funded nutrition program were allegedly diverted for lavish purchases.
The alleged scheme — which first saw charges filed in 2022 — has made recent news after another round of charges and convictions of those involved with nonprofit Feeding Our Future. Other alleged cases of fraud currently under investigation include money funneled from federally funded housing and autism programs and potential schemes at child care facilities spurred on by a viral video.
“One of the key elements of fraud is nobody checks,” Pawlenty said. “And in this case, you had massive amounts of money going out to all kinds of programs with very little oversight and very little checking.”
Pawlenty told NewsNation he believes the state’s government has shown a lack of care in managing the programs and federal funds sent to them.
“This is a preposterous situation that was allowed, I think, by reckless and negligent oversight and management,” he said.
Pawlenty said he has heard that the Walz administration pushed back on or ignored warnings from the state’s legislative auditor, a claim echoed by alleged Minnesota Department of Human Services employees and the state’s top Republican.
Pawlenty said addressing the situation would include following the auditor’s advice, investing in technology to prevent future fraud and changing some current leadership: “I think there’s going to need to be a house cleaning.”
No firings as a result of the investigation have been announced as of Dec. 29.