Accusations of large-scale fraud have now surfaced in a second Democrat-governed state, and the fallout is turning heated.
While Minnesota is still reeling from what’s considered one of the most extensive welfare scams in American history, a whistleblower in Maine has stepped forward with claims ofWhistleblower
And when one local lawmaker was calmly asked about the corruption claims, his response was anything but civil.
A Whistleblower Speaks Out From Maine
Christopher Bernardini, who spent seven years managing billing for Portland’s Gateway Community Services, now says that throughout his tenure, the organization was improperly charging Maine’s Medicaid program.
Gateway’s CEO, Abdullahi Ali—known for seeking office in Jubaland, Somalia, while still running the Maine nonprofit—has long faced scrutiny.
Reports previously accused him of bragging about supporting militia groups abroad, raising questions over whether some of the $28.8 million MaineCare funneled to his business was handled legitimately.
The Daily Mail requested comment from Gateway, but the organization has yet to respond.
Ali Fires Back on Social Media
Ali took to X to defend himself vigorously. In a pointed message, he portrayed the accusations as fabrications:
He emphasized his PhD, his business success in Maine, and his commitment both to his local community and to helping people in Somalia.
He insisted he had nothing to apologize for—financially or politically—and rejected any narrative painting him as anything other than a proud Somali-American contributing to both homelands.
Political Tensions Erupt Over the Claims
Bernardini’s allegations immediately stirred up anger among Republicans, especially given the lingering outrage over Minnesota’s fraud scandal.
There, authorities estimate $300 million vanished from a single federal meal program—and some believe the true losses could exceed $1 billion across different schemes.
In Portland, City Councilor Wes Pelletier tried to refocus attention on what he called “racist and dehumanizing attacks” against Somali Americans.
His message of support, posted on Instagram, came shortly after President Trump blasted Somali immigrants as “garbage” who had “ripped off” the state.
But when a constituent simply asked whether he was concerned about the fraud being reported, Pelletier snapped back with a crude response:
“lol hey man… shut the f**k up. please.”
Experts Say Minnesota’s Scandal Reaches Overseas
Back in Minnesota, the situation escalated when Matt Bryden—who once oversaw the UN Security Council’s monitoring mission for Somalia and Eritrea—told the Daily Mail that he believes al-Shabaab likely skimmed money that fraudsters siphoned from Minnesota’s pandemic meal program.
He explained that the extremist group routinely taxes remittance networks, meaning they might profit from almost any movement of money into Somalia, regardless of origin or intent.
Bryden’s account strengthened claims from conservative analysts and Republican lawmakers accusing fraudsters of exploiting Minnesota’s welfare system to enrich both themselves and extremist groups abroad.
More than fifty people have already been convicted, with additional cases on the way.
Court records confirm that portions of the stolen funds were sent overseas or spent on real estate in East Africa.
Bernardini Says Maine’s Situation Felt All Too Familiar
Bernardini now believes what he witnessed in Maine was a smaller version of the chaos unfolding in Minnesota.
He recalled clients calling to report that staff never showed up—only for him to be told to bill the hours anyway.
As time passed, he said the pressure to submit charges for services that never occurred grew more blatant.
Eventually, he couldn’t keep quiet: “I thought we were truly helping people.
I didn’t want to imagine any of this was happening.”
Maine’s Somali Community Feels the Ripples
Maine is home to roughly 2,730 Somali residents, according to 2023 population estimates, and three Somali-American Democrats currently serve in the state House.
Last week, the trio pushed back strongly against Trump’s inflammatory comments about Somali immigrants—remarks suggesting they should “go back to where they came from” if they were unhappy.
In Minnesota, Rep. Ilhan Omar also rejected any link between the fraud cases and terrorism.
She argued that if such a connection existed, federal investigators would have already exposed it.
Concerns Spread to the Federal Level
Conservative research from City Journal argued that “untold millions” were channeled to Somalia using hawala networks and suggested that Minnesota taxpayers were effectively subsidizing al-Shabaab.
Those claims gained enough traction that the U.S. Treasury Department opened an investigation on December 1.
Secretary Scott Bessent said he intends to determine whether taxpayer dollars were misdirected under what he called “feckless mismanagement” by the Biden administration and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
What Comes Next?
With Maine now facing questions similar to Minnesota’s, and federal investigators stepping in, the story shows no sign of slowing.
Accusations are multiplying, political tensions are boiling, and communities across two states are bracing for whatever comes to light next.
Share on Facebook «||» Share on Twitter «||» Share on Reddit «||» Share on LinkedIn