According to Gateway Pundit, Bessent confirmed that federal authorities are aggressively “following the money” in sweeping probes of Somali-linked financial networks operating in Minnesota. He stated that the Treasury Department has initiated multiple enforcement actions targeting suspicious financial flows between Minnesota residents and businesses and overseas destinations, including East Africa, as Washington ramps up its immigration and fraud crackdown in the state.
The most striking claims emerged during an interview with Blaze, where Bessent suggested Ellison may have attempted to shield political allies from scrutiny. Scott Bessent said, “It’s hard to follow the money. There are evidently some disturbing tapes of AG Ellison in meetings with people who donated to him—calling for political favors to stop the investigations. We’ll see. I don’t want to get out ahead of the investigation. It’s going to be very methodical. But I can guarantee you—when the bear trap snaps, we’re going to get these folks. We’re going to follow the money, whether it’s here in Minneapolis and St. Paul or over in East Africa. There are tons of luxury properties and cars that have been bought over there.”
PELOSI’S HIGH-RISK GAMBLE TO CRUSH TRUMPISM IN NEW YORK
January 13, 2026
A previously exposed 54-minute secret recording from December 11, 2021, captured Ellison in a closed-door meeting inside his state office with Somali-American business figures later charged in a $250 million COVID child-feeding fraud. That was taxpayer money intended for hungry children, allegedly diverted into luxury homes, foreign real estate, jewelry, and extravagant lifestyles, while Ellison was heard sympathizing, encouraging, and pledging to “fight” on their behalf against state agencies attempting to enforce the law.
