Governor Walz to announce new anti-fraud chief

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz

DULUTH, Min. – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is expected to announce a new Director of Program Integrity for Minnesota on Friday, December 12, 2025.

The director’s goal is to address and prevent fraud.

The governor is also expected to announce the hiring of outside experts to create a statewide fraud prevention program.

Fraud in government programs have taken center stage with the Feeding our Future scandal.

Federal prosecutors in late November 2025 charged the 78th defendant in the case.

In March of 2025 a jury found the ringleader of the massive pandemic fraud case guilty on all counts.

Aimee Bock was the founder of Feeding our Future, the group at the heart of the plot.

Federal prosecutors say the group stole $250 million from a program meant to feed children in need.

RELATED: EXPLAINER: How Alleged Plot Exploited Pandemic To Net $250M

The Feeding Our Future case was named after the nonprofit that prosecutors say was at the heart of the country’s largest COVID-19-related fraud scam.  It involved a state-run but federally funded program meant to feed children during the pandemic. The defendants collectively were accused of claiming to feed millions of meals to children but stealing the money instead.

So far, 57 people have been convicted, either because they pleaded guilty or lost at trial. Thirteen are awaiting trial. Two people were acquitted, although one of those was convicted in a related juror bribery case. Five are fugitives and one is dead.

Other fraud cases

Eight others were charged in September for their alleged roles in a scheme to defraud federally funded health care benefits from the Minnesota Housing Stability Services Program. Two have already pleaded guilty. Prosecutors said it was just the first wave of charges.

A week later, prosecutors charged a woman in an autism program fraud scheme and indicated more would follow. She was charged earlier in the Feeding Our Future case.