Journalist Alleges Fraud at Funded Minneapolis Daycare

Independent journalist Nick Shirley has sparked widespread attention with videos alleging misuse of government funds at a Minneapolis childcare center, highlighting potential flaws in the state's assistance programs.

On December 26, 2025, Shirley, a 23-year-old content creator known for on-the-ground reporting, posted footage from his visit to the Quality Learning Center in South Minneapolis. The videos, which quickly went viral on social media platforms, show the facility with darkened windows, no visible staff or children, and a sign misspelling "learning" as "learing." Filmed midday on a weekday, the clips depict Shirley approaching the building, where an unidentified woman shouted warnings to others inside, mistaking him and his companion for federal immigration agents. "There's no one here," Shirley stated in the video, noting the center is licensed for up to 99 children.

According to records presented in the videos, the center received approximately $1.9 million in funding through Minnesota's Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) for the 2025 fiscal year, with totals reaching about $4 million over the past two years and nearly $8 million in federal taxpayer money since...