Tim Walz addressed the ongoing fraud scandal in Minnesota after a viral video showed an empty daycare center with a misspelled sign that received millions in federal funding.

The Minnesota governor claimed he was taking strong action against the alleged fraud, just hours after FBI boss Kash Patel revealed the crisis runs far deeper than initially thought.

'The governor has worked for years to crack down on fraud and ask the state legislature for more authority to take aggressive action,' a spokesperson for Walz told Fox News. 

'He has strengthened oversight - including launching investigations into these specific facilities, one of which was already closed.' 

Walz also 'hired an outside firm to audit payments to high-risk programs, shut down the Housing Stabilization Services program entirely, announced a new statewide program integrity director, and supported criminal prosecutions.' 

The governor has been inundated with criticism from concerned Americans questioning how he intends to respond to allegations of widespread fraud within the state. 

Initial reports emerged earlier this month of a massive Covid-era scheme involving the federally funded nonprofit group Feeding Our Future.

At least 78 people, 72 of whom are Somali, have been charged in connection with the illicit plot. 

Walz, who ran as Vice President on the Democratic ticket alongside Kamala Harris in 2024, defended his state on Sunday on X and shared four photographs of him interacting with members of the Somali community. 

He wrote about Minnesota: '#8 state for safety. #5 state to live in. #3 state for jobs. #2 state to raise a family, and #2 state to retire. 

'We've made progress, but there's more to do to deliver security, opportunity, and freedom to every Minnesotan. I won't quit fighting until we're #1.'

His post came after outrage over the alleged fraud grew on Friday when independent journalist Nick Shirley shared footage of an apparently empty Minnesota daycare, which reportedly received millions in taxpayer funds. 

Footage of the facility, featuring a misspelled sign as 'Quality Learing Center', sparked outrage among lawmakers and allegations state authorities allowed the 'largest fraud in US history' to go unchecked.