This week on At Issue, Leah McLean fills in for Tom Hauser in the studio.
As federal prosecutors bring more fraud charges against those suspected of stealing taxpayer money in Minnesota, a common theme among the defendants persists.
A 5 INVESTIGATES review of federal fraud charges against 106 people found 92 names of Somali descent.
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS spoke with Dr. Ahmed Samatar, professor and Chair of International Studies at Macalester College in St. Paul, to ask why such a disproportionate number of those charged with fraud are of Somali descent, a question he says should be asked.
Also discussed are the latest SurveyUSA Polls, which have found that Minnesotans have low approval ratings for President Trump, Governor Walz, and the war in Iran. Other polls look at who is leading the Senate and Gubernatorial Primaries, and who Minnesotans feel is responsible for fraud in their state.
These frauds exploit emotional vulnerability and trust rather than technical weaknesses.
- Romance Scams: Scammers build long-term online relationships with victims, eventually fabricating a “crisis” (medical emergency, legal trouble, or travel costs) that requires the victim to send money.
- Pig Butchering: A hybrid scam where the criminal builds a romantic or platonic relationship to eventually “tutor” the victim in a fraudulent cryptocurrency investment.