An employee at the “Quality Learning Center” in Minneapolis, a purported daycare that has drawn nationwide attention over fraud allegations following a viral report from independent journalist Nick Shirley, cursed out a reporter from the New York Post who turned up to ask about the allegations.
Federal prosecutors have obtained dozens of convictions relating to public welfare fraud in Minnesota in recent years, much of which has been tied to COVID-era fraud schemes.
The most prominent case is the Feeding Our Future scandal, where prosecutors charged dozens of individuals with stealing at least $250 million from a federal child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants created shell companies to claim reimbursements for millions of meals that were never served, with some funds allegedly transferred overseas, including to international terrorist groups like the Somalia-based Al-Shabaab.
Other public welfare frauds focused on housing healthcare and childcare sectors have also led to multiple convictions and documented looting of taxpayer funds. Following a recent indictment of six individuals in connection with housing and autism treatment-related scandals, U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Joseph Thompson estimated that medicaid fraud alone in the state could top more than $9 billion.
Shirley’s viral report primarily focused the Child Care Assistance sector in Minnesota daycare centers.
In a 42-minute video titled “I Investigated Minnesota’s Billion Dollar Fraud Scandal,” Shirley documented visits to multiple licensed facilities that receive substantial public funding but showed no signs of active operation. Accompanied by a local investigator named David — who has been monitoring these sites for years — Shirley then attempted to enroll a fictional child and observed empty buildings during peak business hours.
The most widely-viewed portion of the segment detailed his visit to the “Quality Learning Center” in Minneapolis, which was erroneously spelled as “Quality Learing.” The purported daycare reportedly received $1.9 million in CCAP funding for 2025 alone, despite claiming to serve 99 children.
Shirley noted the distinct lack of staff, children or playground activity at the site. Exterior windows of the site were also blacked out, while “Learing Center” workers were combative with the journalist when he asked to enroll a fictional child in the daycare.
Shirley claimed his single day of fieldwork uncovered ties to over $110 million in potentially fraudulent allocations across similar centers, suggesting a pattern of billing for phantom services that echoes the mechanics of earlier scandals like Feeding Our Future.
🚨 Here is the full 42 minutes of my crew and I exposing Minnesota fraud, this might be my most important work yet. We uncovered over $110,000,000 in ONE day. Like it and share it around like wildfire! Its time to hold these corrupt politicians and fraudsters accountable
We ALL… pic.twitter.com/E3Penx2o7a
— Nick shirley (@nickshirleyy) December 26, 2025
According to records from the Minnesota Department of Human Services, the center racked up 95 violations between 2019 and 2023. This includes failure to keep hazardous items away from children, no records for 16 children, non-compliance with staff-to-child ratios, lack of first aid/CPR training, inadequate allergy response policies, and crib mattresses not meeting safety standards.
The center was placed on a conditional license in 2022 for two years, with additional reviews noting repeated issues, yet it retained its license through 2026.
On Monday, the New York Post dispatched a reporter to the “Learing Center” and found the premises now bustling with children after it was supposedly closed. A neighbor noted that they had never seen children at the facility until the story broke.
“We’ve never seen kids go in there until today. That parking lot is empty all the time, and I was under the impression that place is permanently closed,” the person said.
Ali Ibrahim, the son of the owner who said he was the manager, claimed to The Post on Monday that Shirley’s visit came before they opened for the day. “Do you go to a coffee shop at 11 p.m. and say, ‘Hey, they’re not working?’ ” Ibrahim told the outlet.
He was also asked about the infamous typo on the center’s sign. “What I understand is [the owners] dealt with a graphic designer. He did it incorrectly. I guess they didn’t think it was a big issue,” said Ibrahim, 26, who claimed he helps out with homework and paperwork at the facility.
Outside the facility, a separate worker pulled out a smartphone and proceeded to curse out a Post reporter in the parking lot. “Don’t f–king come to this area. Get the f–k out of here,” the employee shouted.
Employee of Quality ‘Learing’ daycare snaps at Post reporter: ‘Get the f–k out of here’ pic.twitter.com/ZW4HT3TegO
— New York Post (@nypost) December 29, 2025
The Quality Learning Center has received substantial taxpayer funds through CCAP, amounting to $1.9 million in fiscal year 2025 alone and a cumulative $7.8 million in federal dollars since 2019, despite its violations and apparent inactivity.
