The Quality “Learing” Center, a Minnesota day care center that allegedly received public funds despite being inactive, has officially shut down.
CBS News confirmed on Wednesday, January 7, that the building — which operated under a misspelled name before hastily changing its name in late December — requested a closure of its license earlier this week. The Quality Learing Center was one of multiple state daycare facilities that independent journalist Nick Shirley visited last month while reporting on alleged fraud.
“The provider is unable to reopen without reapplying for a license,” the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families told CBS.
BREAKING – It has been revealed that Quality Learing Center was investigated more than a dozen times by Minnesota’s Department of Human Services between 2019 and 2023, resulting in 95 violations, yet it still received more than $8 million
Someone inside the DHS was helping them. pic.twitter.com/eRWTqeiqwm
— Right Angle News Network (@Rightanglenews) December 29, 2025
The Minnesota DCYF told CBS that the Quality “Learing” Center received $1.9 million from Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Program in fiscal year 2025. However, those who lived in the area told various news outlets, ranging from Shirley to newspapers and television stations, that they never saw children at the day care center.
State officials have repeatedly denied allegations of fraud. The fraud scheme also allegedly involves $300 million in food programs, $220 million tied to fake autism programs, and an estimated $302 million in housing subsidies.
As of January 8, federal prosecutors have charged nearly 100 individuals in connection with a fraud investigation tied to Minnesota social services programs, including child care, food, autism programs, and housing. Most defendants are of Somali descent, and roughly 60 have been convicted so far. Prosecutors estimate that the total amount of fraud could reach $9 billion, dating back to 2021.
Quality Learing (Learning) Center
Just spoke to a resident of the neighboring apartment. His daughter has played on the playground right behind the center for years and he’s never seen kids there. He didn’t even know about this viral situation. pic.twitter.com/NpXr69RiVA
— Alex Kruse (@alexnkruse) December 31, 2025
The Quality “Learing” Center’s closure comes amid high tensions in Minnesota. The Trump Administration announced earlier this week that it intends to halt over $10 billion in federal funding for social services in five states: California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz — who announced he will not run for re-election — and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have repeatedly criticized the Trump Administration in recent days.
“The states that are affected are not affected because they’re Democratic,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., told CBS News. “They’re affected because they refuse to cooperate with developing plans that would end the fraud. We gave them a warning. We said, ‘Show us your plan for ending the fraud, and we won’t cut it off. But if you won’t show us a plan, a workable plan, we’re going to cut it off until you do.'”
The Trump Administration deployed roughly 2,000 Department of Homeland Security agents to Minnesota earlier this week to begin combating fraud and undocumented immigration. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot Renee Good, a Minneapolis woman, on Wednesday in what ICE and the U.S. government, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, are calling self-defense. They allege that the victim, who was shot in her car, intended to use her vehicle as a weapon in an act of domestic terrorism; videos show Good attempting to drive away from ICE agents, one of whom had their arm in the car.
As of publication, it remained unclear whether Good had struck any agents with her car. Walz has already ordered the Minnesota National Guard to prepare to be deployed if needed.
