GOP lawmaker demands Minnesota fraud be treated as 'organized crime' scheme

Republicans are demanding accountability over the Minnesota fraud scandal, accusing state Democrats of failing to prevent billions of dollars in taxpayer funds from being stolen. A Florida lawmaker is now calling for aggressive federal action, comparing the alleged fraud to "organized crime."

"This is what the mafia does. They steal, they lie, they cheat," Rep. Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla., said on "Fox News Live" Thursday.

"The federal government has to use the full powers that we used to destroy the mafia back in the 1960s. Nothing short of it," he added.

Federal authorities have launched an operation in Minnesota to "identify, arrest, and remove criminals who are defrauding the American people," according to the Department of Homeland Security.

SOMALI DAYCARE IN MINNESOTA BROKEN INTO, KEY DOCUMENTS STOLEN IN OVERNIGHT BURGLARY

Prosecutors accuse Minnesota of widespread fraud involving child care and other social services, saying losses could reach into the billions.

The Trump administration says it plans to freeze certain federal child care funds until states provide additional verification for the programs. In a post on X, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz accused Trump of playing politics in response to the proposed funding freeze.

 "We’ve spent years cracking down on fraudsters. It’s a serious issue — but this has been his plan all along. He’s politicizing the issue to defund programs that help Minnesotans," Walz wrote on Tuesday.

ICE PROBES SUSPECTED MINNESOTA FRAUD SITES AS OFFICIALS FOLLOW POTENTIAL $9B MONEY TRAIL

Haridopolos accused Minnesota leaders and state authorities of failing to take the allegations seriously, saying the fraud "undercuts the fabric of America."

Former House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz echoed those claims, demanding Minnesota officials testify before Congress on how the alleged fraud went undetected.

"They need to explain this to the American people and the people of Minnesota," Chaffetz said on "Fox & Friends" Thursday.

QUESTIONS REMAIN, LICENSING SITE CRASHES AS WHIPLASH ENSUES IN MN CHILDCARE FRAUD SCANDAL

Chaffetz said he believes more cases of fraud could come to light as scrutiny intensifies nationwide.

"I don’t think this is just Minnesota. I think this is going to New York, Illinois, California, your usual suspects are [going to] be right there on the list," Chaffetz said.

President Donald Trump himself suggested the estimated fraud in Minnesota could be even larger than investigators believe, speaking to a crowd at a New Year’s Eve celebration at Mar-a-Lago.

"Can you imagine, they stole $18 billion," Trump said.

"That's just what we're learning about. That's peanuts. And California is worse, Illinois is worse, and, sadly, New York is worse."

The House Oversight Committee is expected to hold multiple hearings on the alleged scandal in the coming weeks.