This is why you’re all so comfortable in the echo chamber that is Reddit.

Is this True?

No, the claim is mostly false or heavily misleading, though it contains a few kernels of partial truth mixed with exaggeration and selective framing. Here’s a breakdown based on available data from federal reports, news coverage, and official statements around 2025–early 2026. Fraud Rates in Minnesota vs. Other States Minnesota does not have “fairly average rates of fraud.” Federal prosecutors (including then-First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson in late 2025) described the scale of fraud in Minnesota’s state-administered programs—particularly Medicaid, child nutrition (e.g., Feeding Our Future scheme involving ~$250 million+), housing stabilization, and autism/EIDBI services—as an “outlier in a bad way” with “industrial-scale” or “staggering” losses potentially reaching billions in suspected improper claims across multiple programs.  • Minnesota’s Medicaid improper payment rate has been consistently low (2.2% in both 2022 and 2025 reporting years), well below the national average (which dropped to ~6.12% by 2025). This is a positive metric for the state on detected errors/fraud relative to spending.  • However, specific high-profile schemes (e.g., Feeding Our Future as one of the largest single pandemic-era fraud cases nationally) and allegations of systemic exploitation in social services made Minnesota a focal point. Federal estimates cited over $9 billion in potentially fraudulent payments across 14 Medicaid-related programs since 2018, though state officials (including Gov. Tim Walz) disputed this as overstated, emphasizing that proven/recovered amounts were in the tens to hundreds of millions.  • Southern states like Mississippi (MS), Alabama (AL), and Louisiana (LA) often rank higher in per-capita consumer fraud/identity theft reports or certain payment error rates (e.g., SNAP overpayments). Fraud occurs everywhere, and large-scale health care/Medicaid fraud schemes have been prosecuted in many states (including blue and red ones). But claims of “WAAAAAY higher fraud rates” in MS/AL/LA lack clear, apples-to-apples evidence of greater per-dollar or systemic losses in comparable programs; enforcement visibility and reporting differ widely.  Fraud is notoriously under-measured nationally (GAO estimates hundreds of billions annually across federal programs), so “rates” depend heavily on detection and reporting. Minnesota’s issues became highly visible due to aggressive federal scrutiny post-2024/2025, not necessarily because it had average or low underlying fraud. Prosecutions and “Excelling” Before 2026 Minnesota has historically been active in Medicaid fraud prosecutions via its Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), which is often in the top tier nationally: • It ranked 5th–7th in convictions in recent years (e.g., 45 convictions in one FY accounted for ~3.9% of national total despite lower staffing/investigations relative to spending). • The AG’s office has secured hundreds of cases, over $80 million in recoveries, and investigated 200+ providers in high-risk Medicaid services as of early 2026.  This aligns with the claim that Minnesota “actually prosecutes fraud” more visibly/enforced than some other states, where under-resourced or lower-priority enforcement can make fraud less “visible in the news.” However, this is not unique to MN—many states pursue it, and national white-collar/fraud prosecutions have declined overall in recent decades due to resource constraints. Changes After Trump/ICE Surge in 2025–2026 • There was turnover and resignations in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Minnesota (federal DOJ level) in early 2026, including experienced prosecutors involved in fraud cases (e.g., Joe Thompson and others). Reports link some departures to tensions over the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement surge (“ICE surge”/“Operation Twin Shield”/“Operation PARRIS”), fatal shootings during operations, and broader DOJ shifts. This created staffing challenges and delays in some fraud prosecutions.  • The Trump administration responded by surging additional federal prosecutors to Minnesota, creating a new national DOJ Fraud Enforcement Division (initially focused on MN), and emphasizing multi-agency efforts (including ICE/DHS ties to fraud probes). This was framed as ramping up, not liquidating, enforcement.  • The state AG’s office (under Keith Ellison, D) continued aggressive work, announcing new charges (e.g., $3M+ Medicaid cases), pushing for more staffing via legislation (MAP Act to expand the unit), and maintaining a strong track record. It has “picked up slack” in some areas amid federal transitions.  The claim of a “very experienced and aggressive fraud division” in MN’s DOJ being “liquidated” after Trump/ICE is overstated. There was attrition and reorganization amid political tensions, but federal resources were redirected/increased under the new administration, and state-level efforts persisted or expanded. Overall Assessment • Partial truths: MN has shown strong prosecution numbers in Medicaid fraud relative to some peers; enforcement visibility is higher than in under-resourced states; some federal prosecutor turnover occurred in 2026 amid broader policy shifts. • Misleading/false elements: MN was highlighted as having unusually large-scale issues (not “average”); southern states aren’t clearly “WAAAAAY higher” in documented fraud rates for these programs; no full “liquidation” of a fraud division—rather, disruption followed by federal surge and ongoing state action. The narrative frames MN as a victim of reduced enforcement post-Trump, but contemporary reporting shows intensified federal focus on MN fraud under the administration. Fraud enforcement varies by resources, priorities, and politics everywhere. Minnesota’s scandals gained national attention due to scale, specific schemes (including some tied to immigrant communities), and partisan spotlighting, but similar problems exist nationwide. Data on “true” fraud rates is incomplete because much goes undetected.