JD Vance’s threat to refer him to the Justice Department, while pushing back on a widely cited $8 billion figure as only mentioned by those “aligned with the Trump Administration.”
“That is a false number,” Ellison said. “The fact is, is that fraud is always wrong.”
“Why don’t you give me a break, man?” he continued.
The comments come as Vance, the head of the Trump administration’s new anti-fraud task force, threatened to press the Justice Department to open an investigation into Ellison’s alleged knowledge of the widespread fraud scheme in Minnesota.
When asked about the common estimate of Minnesota fraud ballooning to about $8 billion, Ellison grew visibly frustrated with the reporter and ended the interview, claiming the number is only used by those of a certain political affiliation.
“If you ask the newspapers for a forensic accounting, the number you mentioned is tightly…
PROCUREMENT & EXPENDITURE (STOPPING KICKBACKS)
Procurement fraud usually involves inflated invoices or “fictitious” vendors.
- The Three-Way Match: Never pay an invoice unless you have matched the Purchase Order (PO), the Delivery Note (signed), and the Supplier Invoice.
- Vendor Master File Review: Review your vendor list annually. Look for suppliers with the same bank details or physical addresses as your employees.
- Dual Authorization: Implement a “Two-to-Sign” rule for all EFT payments above a certain threshold (e.g., R5,000).
- No “Cashing” of Checks: If you still use physical checks, strictly prohibit “Cash” as a payee and store blank checks in a dual-lock safe.