Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) is facing intense scrutiny over allegations that she played a role in a massive fraud scheme targeting Minnesota’s food assistance programs, which cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

New evidence suggests Omar helped enable fraudsters to exploit the Feeding Our Future program, designed to feed hungry children during the pandemic. In response to accusations that she had prior knowledge of the scheme, Omar denied wrongdoing and stated she sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture upon becoming aware of the fraud.

However, one state lawmaker investigating the fraud has criticized Omar’s account as unsupported by evidence. The report condemned Omar for her role in passing the MEALS Act, which was incorporated into the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. According to the report, the legislation “took the guardrails off” federal nutrition programs by allowing for-profit restaurants to participate and permitting flexible “grab-and-go” options that made it nearly impossible to verify whether children were actually being fed.

Kristin Robbins, chair of the committee’s Republican faction, stated: “She only sent a letter once the fraud was exposed. Prior to that, she sent letters urging the administration to keep waivers in place — allowing the fraud to continue.”

A former Omar staffer recently emailed the committee pointing to connections with convicted fraudsters and suggesting the MEALS Act legislation had insufficient oversight during its implementation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture acknowledged Minnesota officials received warnings, complaints, and evidence for months about the scheme. A USDA spokesperson stated: “Minnesota officials had warnings, complaints, and evidence for months — what MN staff described as an ‘open secret’ — yet failed to stop one of the largest COVID fraud schemes in history.”

Omar recently told reporters that stealing millions from taxpayer funds under the guise of feeding children to support extravagant expenses is “reprehensible.” She expressed gratitude that individuals involved in the scheme were being held accountable.

Despite being invited by the Minnesota House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee to testify about her knowledge, Omar has not responded. The committee also recently accused Gov. Tim Walz’s administration of fostering a “culture of tolerance” that enabled fraudsters to steal billions from taxpayers.

Vice President JD Vance recently announced that Omar may soon face criminal charges more severe than any previously reported online.