Federal prosecutors in Minnesota have secured guilty pleas from two Somali brothers accused of siphoning nearly $4 million in taxpayer-funded housing subsidies through a web of false claims and sham operations. The case adds fuel to a growing fire of welfare fraud allegations centered in the state’s Somali communities, where investigators say billions have vanished from programs meant to aid the vulnerable.
Anwar Adow and Asad Ahmed Adow, both in their 30s and residents of the Minneapolis area, admitted to defrauding the Housing Stabilization Services (HSS) program by inventing clients and fabricating housing deals. According to court documents, the brothers operated Leo Human Services and Liberty Plus LLC, claiming to assist individuals with relocation costs.
In reality, they pocketed reimbursements for nonexistent services, using the cash for personal gain. “The defendants exploited a program designed to help vulnerable people secure housing by submitting fraudulent claims for services that were never provided,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said in a statement.
This isn’t an isolated incident. The pleas come on the heels of the first prison sentence in the massive Feeding Our Future scandal, where over 70 Somali migrants face charges for stealing $250 million from child nutrition funds. Prosecutors describe it as one of the largest frauds against the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s programs. Just last week, a 77th indictment was unsealed in that case, involving shell companies that funneled money overseas.
The scale of these schemes points to deeper issues in Minnesota’s welfare system, which has ballooned under Democratic leadership. The HSS program, launched in 2020 to support those facing homelessness, was projected to cost $2.6 million annually. By mid-2025, payouts hit $61 million—on pace for a record—and officials shut it down in August amid fraud probes.
Similar patterns emerged in a $14 million autism services scam, where Asha Farhan Hassan, also charged in Feeding Our Future, allegedly issued fake diagnoses to Somali children for Medicaid billing. Autism providers in the state exploded from 41 in 2020 to 328 by 2025, many tied to the Somali community, leading to diagnoses at triple the state average for young Somali kids.
What makes these cases particularly galling is where the money ended up. Federal counterterrorism sources, as reported by City Journal, trace millions in stolen funds to Somalia via hawala networks—informal money transfer systems rooted in clan ties. There, Al-Shabaab, the Al-Qaeda affiliate, takes a cut from incoming remittances, regardless of intent.
“The largest funder of Al-Shabaab is the Minnesota taxpayer,” one source bluntly stated. In 2023 alone, the Somali diaspora sent $1.7 billion home, exceeding Somalia’s national budget—much of it allegedly from U.S. welfare.
President Trump declared on a Truth Social post last Friday, he declared Minnesota “a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity” under Governor Tim Walz, terminating Temporary Protected Status for Somalis in the state effective immediately. “Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State, and BILLIONS of Dollars are missing. Send them back to where they came from,” Trump wrote.
Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Brad Finstad, echoed the call, telling Congress that tracked funds led straight to Al-Shabaab. House Speaker Mike Johnson piled on via X: “Millions in stolen Minnesota welfare dollars have been funneled to Al-Shabaab—an ISIS-aligned TERROR group? This happened because Democrats built a system so loose, so corrupt, and so politically timid that fraudsters exploited it.”
Critics point to a toxic mix: lax oversight in a “generous” welfare regime and clan-based loyalties that prioritize overseas networks over American accountability. As one fraud investigator put it, “They have taken advantage of one of the most generous countries in the world and one of the most generous states in that country.”
Minnesota’s Somali population, the largest in the U.S., has reshaped local politics—think Rep. Ilhan Omar’s district—but at what cost? Ties to figures like former Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey aide Abdi Nur Salah, indicted in HSS fraud, raise questions about how deep the rot goes.
Governor Walz’s office claims cooperation with federal probes, but the numbers tell a different story: billions lost on his watch, with everyday Minnesotans footing the bill for everything from fake meals to phantom therapies. As deportations ramp up and indictments mount, the question lingers—how much more has slipped through the cracks, and who will make it right for the taxpayers left holding the bag?
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
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Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
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- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
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Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.
And…. That’s how easy it is to scam government welfare systems.
The only real long lasting solution is to get the government out of the business of providing welfare, with other peoples tax dollars.
Yet another example; Most Americans live their entire lives under the yolk of taxation without representation.
Don’t worry, nobody will go to jail. ‘Don’t steal. The government hates competition.’
Greasy G’s pansy dance https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BISMUVWGiXg