A former NBA player and Republican Senate candidate for Minnesota has accused Democratic leaders of enabling a massive fraud scheme that has cost taxpayers billions, claiming the scandal reflects years of political neglect in the state.
Royce White, who is running to replace Senator Bernie Sanders in the upcoming election, told reporters on Monday that the alleged diversion of government funds by members of Minnesota’s Somali community into al-Shabaab—a Somalia-based terrorist group affiliated with al-Qaida—has exposed “years of political failure and deliberate policy choices” by state and national Democrats.
White emphasized that the scale of the fraud could not have gone unnoticed by officials, stating, “When billions of dollars go missing, that’s government policy.” He described the situation as “embarrassing, disgusting,” noting federal authorities are conducting expanded investigations into multiple schemes across Minnesota.
The former athlete criticized Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and national Democratic leadership for failing to prevent the misuse of taxpayer funds. White alleged a broader pattern of corruption tied to diversity initiatives, saying, “We’re going to pander to certain demographics… No better way than to give them a little taste of the action—$9 billion of a taste of the action.”
White also rejected accusations that his criticism amounts to racism, declaring, “If calling out the fraud makes you a racist, then sign me up.” He urged Minnesotans to prioritize policies and leadership over party loyalty in upcoming elections.
The former NBA player described Minnesota as “the belly of the beast,” citing prior warnings about corruption. White added that the state has become “kind of like the laughingstock of the country” due to the scandal’s severity, calling it “so ridiculous, it’s not even a laughing matter.”
Independent journalist Nick Shirley has recently brought national attention to alleged fraud in childcare and other government programs, according to White.
