A viral video allegedly showing abandoned day cares in Minnesota drew the attention of the FBI and Vice President JD Vance, the latest in a wave of scrutiny on the state amid an ongoing fraud investigation targeting social services.

The video by online conservative influencer Nick Shirley shows him visiting multiple day care centers in Minnesota that appear to be abandoned despite being licensed to serve dozens of children and receiving public funds.

Since being posted on Dec. 26, Shirley’s 42-minute long video has racked up over 100 million views on X. Vance applauded the video, writing on social media, “This dude has done far more useful journalism than any of the winners of the 2024 @pulitzercenter prizes.”

On Dec. 28, FBI Director Kash Patel weighed in, saying the bureau is “aware of recent social media reports in Minnesota,” adding that the FBI has already “surged” investigative resources to the state to probe the alleged fraud.

“The FBI believes this is just the tip of a very large iceberg,” Patel said. “We will continue to follow the money and protect children, and this investigation very much remains ongoing.”

A spokesperson for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said in a statement to USA TODAY that the governor has taken many steps to address the problem, including hiring an outside firm to audit high-risk programs and supporting criminal prosecutions.

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Shirley’s videos have increasingly been hailed by the Trump administration. After he and another conservative personality posted video of migrants selling knock-off merchandise in Manhattan, immigration agents launched an operation targeting the street vendors.

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The latest comments from Vance and Patel also come after federal prosecutors suggested more than $9 billion may have been stolen from more than a dozen Medicaid-funded programs in Minnesota, including initiatives meant to tackle child hunger and housing insecurity.

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