Federal authorities flagged nearly $700 million in cash stuffed into passengers’ luggage departing Minneapolis over the past two years, a stunning outflow investigators believe is tied to Somali immigrants and professional money couriers, according to Homeland Security officials who spoke with Just the News. The sheer scale of the cash movement has raised alarms among federal screeners and investigators alike.
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Officials said the unusual cash traffic out of Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport began roughly a decade ago and expanded dramatically in recent years. Although the money was legally declared under U.S. Customs rules, Transportation Security Administration agents repeatedly encountered travelers carrying massive sums of cash, sometimes approaching $1 million on a single trip, triggering concern despite the technical compliance.
The activity is now under investigation by Homeland Security Investigations as part of a broader probe into multibillion-dollar fraud schemes centered in Minnesota. Dozens of individuals connected to those networks have already been charged or convicted in federal cases. One of the most prominent examples was the Feeding Our Future scandal, in which prosecutors said roughly $250 million in pandemic aid was stolen in what they described as the largest COVID-era fraud case in the country.
Officials said the cash was typically transported by a relatively small group of Somali-descended couriers who made repeated trips overseas, most often flying from Minneapolis to Dubai, frequently routing through Amsterdam. While Minneapolis accounted for the bulk of the activity, similar cash movements were also detected from airports in Seattle, Dallas, Columbus, and Atlanta. In 2024 alone, Minneapolis travelers were found carrying more than $342 million, followed by another $349 million in 2025.
TSA agents routinely referred these cases to Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations, but officials said little follow-up occurred during the Biden administration. According to sources, meaningful scrutiny only began after President Donald Trump returned to the White House. While couriers generally complied with paperwork requirements, officials remain deeply concerned about the origins and destinations of the funds, warning that congressional action may ultimately be required to shut down or fully unravel the practice.[/read]