Death threats, doxxing, and empty Dem seats: The high cost of Nick Shirley's fight against Minnesota welfare fraud

Life keeps getting crazier for 23-year-old YouTuber Nick Shirley — the overnight independent journalist who ripped the curtain back on Minnesota's Somali-run fraud schemes, bringing the issue to national attention.

Episode one, which has amassed over 141 million views, exposed Somali-run day cares in Minnesota as allegedly fraudulent operations. Shirley’s footage highlighted empty day-care centers, many with locked doors, blacked-out windows, and tight-lipped “staff members,” despite receiving millions in federal and state funding.

Episode two identified fraudulent nonemergency medical transportation companies as the “hub” of the fraud wheel that enables the schemes taking place in day-care centers and other welfare/social services programs.

Shirley’s reporting has not only triggered widespread outrage across the nation but also immediate action from the Trump administration. Shortly after episode one dropped, the Department of Health and Human Services froze federal child-care funding to Minnesota and later expanded freezes to other states. The FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigations in Minnesota surged as well.

On a recent episode of “Come & Take It,” Sara interviews Shirley about his viral Minnesota fraud exposés, the government actions they sparked, the death threats and doxxing forcing 24/7 security, and his congressional testimony where Democrats were largely absent.

“We always hear about the fraud taking place, but we’ve never actually been able to see it with our eyes. And so I think that's why the video did so well ... because people were really actually able to see that fraud,” says Shirley of his viral exposé.

As a fellow investigative journalist who’s uncovered the depth of depravity taking place in “kid-friendly” drag shows and other LGBTQ+ events — and most recently widespread H-1B visa fraud in Texas — Sara agrees that showing rather than telling is the most powerful and effective form of journalism.

“There is something about just having it put right directly in front of them that really, really hammers the point home,” she says.

Unfortunately effective journalism is also dangerous. As a result of Shirley’s reporting, he’s faced death threats, doxxing of his home address and family members, and severe harassment that has forced him to hire 24/7 personal security for protection so that he can continue his work.

“I've had to raise and spend thousands of dollars in order just to keep myself safe and my family as well,” he says, noting that people who want to help can donate at supportnickshirley.com.

But the level of aggression and vitriol he’s faced isn’t even the most surprising thing Shirley has encountered.

On January 21, Shirley testified before a House Judiciary subcommittee about his Minnesota fraud investigations. However only two out of the eight Democrats scheduled for the hearing showed up, and the two who were present “didn’t direct one single question towards [him],” he tells Sara.

It’s “gotten to the point where they're defending fraud or to the point where they don't even want to speak out against the fraud because it's happened inside of their own areas,” he says.

Sara agrees, adding, “Democrats are now running on a platform of ‘we want to protect the fraudsters”’ — the reason being that they’re scared of being labeled “racist” or “xenophobic.”

But there’s nothing racist about facts — and the fact is that “89% of the fraud that has been committed and charged inside Minnesota is by Somalians,” says Shirley.

“If there was any other race outside of those buildings [of fraudulent businesses], they would have got filmed as well ... so by no means am I a racist.”

“I'm just a fact-teller and a truth-teller.”

To hear more of the interview, watch the video above.

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