Hold onto your hats, folks -- over 480 employees from Minnesota’s Department of Human Services (DHS) have just dropped a bombshell on Gov. Tim Walz, accusing him of turning a blind eye to a jaw-dropping fraud scheme, as Newsmax reports.

This saga centers on allegations of massive social services fraud under the now-defunct Feeding Our Future program, with claims that Walz ignored early warnings, retaliated against whistleblowers, and allowed oversight to crumble under his watch.

The trouble started brewing with the Feeding Our Future program, a DHS-sponsored initiative tied to the federal Child Nutrition Program, which prosecutors say became a breeding ground for deceit.

Uncovering the Largest COVID Fraud Case

As of late November, a staggering 78 individuals have been charged in connection with this scheme, which the Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office has labeled the biggest COVID-19-related fraud case in the nation.

DHS employees, through their group’s public statements, say they tried to sound the alarm early on, hoping for a partnership with the Walz administration to stop the bleeding of taxpayer dollars.

Instead, they claim they were met with hostility, with the governor and his allies allegedly silencing dissent and punishing those who dared to speak up.

Whistleblowers Face Retaliation, Threats

“We let Tim Walz know of fraud early on, hoping for a partnership in stopping fraud but no, we got the opposite response,” the DHS employee group posted on X. “Tim Walz systematically retaliated against whistleblowers using monitoring, threats, repression, and did his best to discredit fraud reports.”

Let’s unpack that -- if true, this paints a chilling picture of a governor more interested in protecting his image than protecting public funds. It’s not just bad leadership; it’s a betrayal of trust that leaves hardworking Minnesotans footing the bill.

The group didn’t stop there, alleging that agency leaders handpicked by Walz lacked qualifications and were chosen based on personal ties rather than competence, further eroding safeguards against fraud.

Accusations of Dishonesty and Deflection

They also took aim at Walz’s fiscal claims, accusing him of misrepresenting federal American Rescue Plan Act funds as a state budget surplus to create cushy positions for his associates.

“Walz is dishonest, lacks ethics and integrity, has poor leadership abilities, and has never taken any accountability for his role in fraud,” the DHS group declared on X. Talk about a scathing review -- yet, if their claims about fudged numbers hold water, it’s hard to argue this isn’t a shell game with taxpayer money.

Beyond finances, the employees described a culture of fear, noting threats received in the 48 hours before their public statements and even a temporary suspension of their X account, which boasts over 31,000 followers, before it was reinstated.

Governor’s Response Falls Short for Critics

On the other side of the aisle, a spokesperson for Walz pushed back, insisting the governor is fully committed to rooting out fraud with new initiatives like an anti-fraud law enforcement unit and third-party audits at DHS.

They pointed to executive orders and legislation aimed at bolstering fraud prevention, as well as fresh leadership at DHS focused on tightening the screws. While these steps sound promising on paper, critics might argue it’s a classic case of locking the barn door after the horses have bolted.

Even Minnesota House Speaker Lisa DeMuth has entered the fray, slamming Walz for dodging responsibility and failing to apologize to taxpayers for the billions allegedly siphoned off under his administration. It’s a fair question: When does accountability start at the top, or are we just supposed to shrug and move on?