The investigation centers on how the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) managed federal funds meant for child nutrition programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Feeding Our Future, a nonprofit organization, was implicated in one of the largest fraud cases in the country, accused of misappropriating tens of millions of dollars meant to feed hungry children. Despite red flags and warnings, the MDE resumed payments to FOF.

The case came to light in early 2022 when federal authorities charged dozens of individuals linked to FOF with fraud. The nonprofit allegedly funneled millions from the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) through various shell companies. These funds, intended to provide meals to children in underserved communities, were instead used for personal luxuries, including expensive cars, homes, and vacations.

Gov. Walz was criticized for his administration’s failure to prevent the fraudulent misuse of funds in the subpoena acquired by Punchbowl News. The notice reads, “The actions taken by you and other executive officers were insufficient to address the massive fraud.” The Committee on Education and the Workforce, which oversees federal education and nutrition programs, had previously sent requests for information to the MDE in November 2023 and June 2024. However, the Committee stated that the responses were incomplete, prompting the issuance of the subpoena to compel further documentation.

Gov. Walz has maintained that his administration did not engage in any wrongdoing. He acknowledged that the state could have done better in its oversight of the program, but repeatedly emphasized that no state employees were directly implicated in the fraud. “This wasn’t malfeasance,” Walz stated in a June 2024 interview, adding that employees “simply didn’t do as much due diligence as they should have.”

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However, the Committee’s letter suggests otherwise, citing public statements and media reports indicating that Walz and other state officials may have had more involvement in the administration of the programs than previously acknowledged. According to the subpoena, the Committee is seeking documents related to MDE’s decision to resume payments to FOF, despite ongoing concerns about its operations.

In addition to the subpoena, the Committee requested information about communications between the Walz administration and federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the FBI, which were involved in the investigation. The subpoena also seeks records related to disciplinary actions taken against any state employees following the fraud revelations.

The subpoena against Walz comes at a critical time as he hopes to be the future vice president. Virginia Foxx, the Republican chairwoman of the Committee, has been vocal in her criticism of Walz. In the letter accompanying the subpoena, Foxx wrote, “The fraud in the FCNP is within the Committee’s jurisdiction and is a subject on which legislation could be had.” Foxx has indicated that the investigation could lead to new legislation aimed at tightening oversight of federal nutrition programs to prevent future fraud.

The Feeding Our Future fraud case was one of the largest COVID-19-related fraud cases in the U.S., involving a scheme to misuse federal funds intended for feeding low-income children during the pandemic. In September 2022, the Department of Justice charged 47 individuals with fraudulently obtaining and misusing approximately $250 million in federal child nutrition program funds.