TSA Agent EXPOSES $18 Billion Cash Scheme

TSA agent checks passengers documents at airport security.

A former TSA agent watched millions in cash flow through Minneapolis airport security weekly while federal agencies turned a blind eye to what may be the largest fraud scheme in American history.

Story Highlights

Former TSA agent Liz Jax witnessed Somali men routinely carrying suitcases filled with millions in cash through Minneapolis airport security from 2016 onward
Despite TSA notifications to law enforcement about the suspicious cash movements, minimal follow-up action occurred
The cash smuggling connects to a massive fraud network that has potentially stolen $18 billion in federal aid funds since 2018
Money was reportedly funneled through hawalas to Somalia, including regions controlled by terrorist group al-Shabaab
Federal agencies have surged enforcement efforts in December 2025, with 92 defendants charged and 82 being Somali-American

TSA Agent Breaks Silence on Airport Cash Smuggling

Liz Jax spent years watching the same disturbing pattern unfold at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Two Somali men would arrive with suitcases, TSA would discover the cash-filled luggage during screening, document the IDs and tickets, notify law enforcement, and then watch as the men walked free with their millions. Week after week, the cycle repeated with virtually no consequences.

Jax described one particularly shocking incident involving a Somali man whose carry-on luggage contained brand-new passports. Despite the obvious red flags, he was allowed to proceed through security. The former TSA agent estimates she witnessed millions of dollars moving through the airport on a weekly basis, all meticulously documented by airport cameras yet ignored by federal investigators.

The Fraud Network Behind the Cash

The cash Jax observed represents the visible tip of a fraud iceberg that investigators now estimate may have drained $18 billion from federal programs since 2018. The scheme centered around Minnesota’s federally funded programs, particularly child nutrition assistance during COVID-19. The Feeding Our Future nonprofit alone defrauded over $300 million, resulting in 57 convictions by 2025.

What made this fraud particularly insidious was its systematic exploitation of legitimate community needs. Fraudsters created fake daycare centers, billed for nonexistent autism services, and claimed to feed children who never received meals. FBI raids on facilities like Ali’s daycare in south Minneapolis revealed operations billing over $1 million for services never provided, with the stolen funds immediately routed overseas through the same cash smuggling networks Jax observed.

Terror Funding Through Traditional Money Transfer

The stolen cash didn’t simply disappear into personal bank accounts. Investigators traced the money through hawalas, traditional Islamic money transfer systems used legitimately by Somali immigrants to send remittances home. However, these transfers were reaching regions of Somalia controlled by al-Shabaab, the terrorist organization that demands cuts from all money flowing through their territory.

Former Homeland Security investigator insights reveal that bulk cash smuggling falls directly under HSI’s primary mission, yet cases like those Jax reported went unprosecuted for years. The agency was apparently too focused on other investigations to pursue the obvious violations occurring weekly at one of America’s busiest airports. This enforcement gap allowed fraudsters to operate with impunity while funneling American taxpayer dollars to terrorist-controlled regions.

Federal Crackdown Exposes Systemic Failures

The December 2025 federal surge revealed the staggering scope of Minnesota’s fraud problem. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and FBI Director Kash Patel announced expanded raids targeting Somali-American suspects across Minneapolis. Patel’s assessment that previous arrests were “just the tip of a very large iceberg” validates Jax’s years of ignored warnings about the cash smuggling operation she witnessed firsthand.

The political implications extend beyond fraud enforcement. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz faces criticism for his administration’s oversight failures, while President Trump has used the scandal to attack both Walz and Minnesota’s Somali refugee community. The wrongful arrest of a U.S. citizen during ICE operations demonstrates how enforcement actions are creating fear throughout Minneapolis’s Somali neighborhoods, affecting innocent community members alongside actual fraudsters.