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Treasury Secretary Bessent announces fraud crackdown in Minnesota
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, joined by officials from the FBI, CMS, FTC, and the Department of Justice, announced a whole-of-government initiative to combat fraud during a visit to Minnesota. Bessent reported that since January 2025, the administration has uncovered more than $260 billion in fraud and prevented approximately $72 billion in annual taxpayer losses.
Specific achievements cited include returning $175 million in payments intended for deceased individuals and stopping nearly $190 million in overseas fraud. The Treasury has also expanded its Do Not Pay data access from 4 percent to 99 percent of federal programs. Additionally, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has issued orders to trace criminal networks to prevent funds from reaching groups such as Al-Shabaab.
During the announcement, Bessent was questioned regarding a report that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) paid $495.6 million for the Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton, Minnesota. The facility, operated by CoreCivic, had reportedly been offered to the state of Minnesota for $75 million in May 2025. Bessent declined to comment on the specific transaction, stating that questions regarding the purchase were a "waste of our time."
Entities
CoreCivic · Immigration and Customs Enforcement · Keith Ellison · Minnesota · Prairie Correctional Facility · Scott Bessent · U.S. Department of the Treasury
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] ICE paid $495.6 million to acquire the Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton, Minnesota. www.joemygod.com · www.independent.co.uk
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Do Not Pay data access was expanded from 4 percent to 99 percent of federal programs. 100percentfedup.com · zambianobserver.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Scott Bessent stated that questions regarding the prison overpayment were a waste of time. www.joemygod.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Treasury stopped nearly $190 million in overseas fraud. 100percentfedup.com · zambianobserver.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The U.S. Treasury has uncovered more than $260 billion in fraud since January 2025. 100percentfedup.com · zambianobserver.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Treasury returned $175 million in payments that would have gone to deceased individuals. 100percentfedup.com · zambianobserver.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The administration prevented $72 billion in taxpayer money from going to illicit actors annually. 100percentfedup.com · zambianobserver.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] CoreCivic previously offered the same facility to the state of Minnesota for $75 million in May 2025. www.joemygod.com · www.independent.co.uk