Intrepid journalist Nick Shirley isn’t the only reporter looking into fraudulent Somali daycares — so are many others.
Shirley went viral late last week after he published a deep investigative exposé about the fraud being committed by Somali-owned daycare centers in the blue state of Minnesota.
Watch:
🚨 Here is the full 42 minutes of my crew and I exposing Minnesota fraud, this might be my most important work yet. We uncovered over $110,000,000 in ONE day. Like it and share it around like wildfire! Its time to hold these corrupt politicians and fraudsters accountable
We ALL… pic.twitter.com/E3Penx2o7a
— Nick shirley (@nickshirleyy) December 26, 2025
This week, Cam Higby and Jonathan Choe followed up on Shirley’s investigation by conducting their own in Washington State.
They discovered, for example, that the owner of one daycare has received $210,000 in taxpayer funds, despite people living nearby claiming they’ve never seen a daycare operating there.
Watch:
🚨SOMALI FRAUD IN WASHINGTON: @choeshow and I spent yesterday investigating Somali daycares in WA.
“Dhagash Childcare” has received over $210,000 just this year. People living at the address claim there has never been a daycare there.
We lay out the facts in this teaser ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/KNkmJfV2Ss
— Cam Higby 🇺🇸 (@camhigby) December 30, 2025
Next is Carleen Johnson, a reporter for The Center Square with 30 years of broadcast experience.
Johnson announced on X this Monday that she’d visited four Somali-run daycare centers in Washington, only to find zero children present.
“Just went to four Somali run home daycare centers in Federal Way, WA that receive taxpayer subsidies,” she tweeted. “Just like @nickshirleyy found in MN- there were no children and no one willing to chat with this reporter. They threatened me with police.”
Just went to four Somali run home daycare centers in Federal Way, WA that receive taxpayer subsidies. Just like @nickshirleyy found in MN- there were no children and no one willing to chat with this reporter. They threatened me with police. @waDCYF wants information forwarded.
— Carleen Johnson (@CarleenJohn1970) December 29, 2025
Funny thing is I was standing on the street in front of the home at the time she screamed at me from an upstairs window. I have no doubt WA taxpayers have been bilked of millions by this scam. https://t.co/4KdsvooV70
— Carleen Johnson (@CarleenJohn1970) December 29, 2025
According to @childcarewa there are many taxpayer funded Somali run home daycares in Federal Way, WA. @TCSWashington went to four of them today and found no children/cameras in our face/no questions answered @nickshirleyy inspired! pic.twitter.com/8cSEozREzR
— Carleen Johnson (@CarleenJohn1970) December 30, 2025
“This did not at all appear to be a legit child care center receiving WA taxpayer subsidies,” Johnson added in a fourth post.
Next up is the Island Auditing Media group, which revealed on X that their reporters were almost attacked “by a gang” when they went to check out the supposed Somali-run daycares in Seattle.
I went to twelve today and was almost attacked by a gang in a Seattle Housing Authority neighborhood. Eleven absolutely had no children, or indication of business. Story releasing tomorrow on the Inland Auditing Media channel on YouTube.
— Inland Auditing Media (@iamfreeauditing) December 30, 2025
Democrat lawmakers in the blue state of Washington have responded predictably by threatening the journalists, not the fraudsters.
“My office has received outreach from members of the Somali community after reports of home-based daycare providers being harassed and accused of fraud with little to no fact-checking,” state Attorney General Nick Brown, a Democrat, said in a statement.
“We are in touch with the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families regarding the claims being pushed online and the harassment reported by daycare providers. Showing up on someone’s porch, threatening, or harassing them isn’t an investigation. Neither is filming minors who may be in the home,” he added.
“This is unsafe and potentially dangerous behavior. I encourage anyone experiencing threats or harassment to either contact local law enforcement or our office’s Hate Crimes & Bias Incident Hotline,” he concluded.
My office has received outreach from members of the Somali community after reports of home-based daycare providers being harassed and accused of fraud with little to no fact-checking.
We are in touch with the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families regarding the claims…— Attorney General Nick Brown (@AGOWA) December 31, 2025
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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