Kash Patel: Minnesota Fraud Scheme a ‘Top FBI Priority’

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By Breitbart. FBI Director Kash Patel recognized the ongoing fraud scandal unfolding in Minnesota involving childcare centers, adding that it has been part of a lengthy investigation and will remain a top priority.

As Breitbart News reported, a video from YouTube journalist Nick Shirley went viral over the weekend after he confronted an employee at an alleged learning center in Minnesota that was receiving millions in aid despite showing no signs of operational activity.

In a post on X, Kash Patel said the FBI has been investigating the situation.

“The FBI is aware of recent social media reports in Minnesota. However, even before the public conversation escalated online, the FBI had surged personnel and investigative resources to Minnesota to dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs. Fraud that steals from taxpayers and robs vulnerable children will remain a top FBI priority in Minnesota and nationwide,” he said.

Patel then noted that the FBI “dismantled a $250 million fraud scheme that stole federal food aid meant for vulnerable children during COVID.”

(Read more from “Kash Patel: Minnesota Fraud Scheme a ‘Top FBI Priority’” HERE)

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YouTuber Nick Shirley Exposes Alleged Somali Daycare Center Which Reportedly Reaped $4,000,000 From Taxpayers

By Daily Caller. YouTuber Nick Shirley posted video Friday showing multiple purported Somali-run day care centers in Minnesota, including one which reportedly received $4 million in taxpayer funds, which did not immediately appear to have any children there.

FBI Director Kash Patel announced the FBI would surge additional agents to Minnesota to investigate allegations of fraud raised on social media, including by Shirley. Shirley, for example, posted a photo of one purported day care center, which displayed a banner identifying it as “The Greater Learing [sic] Center.”

“We uncovered over $110,000,000 in ONE day,” Shirley claimed in a viral X post Friday. “Like it and share it around like wildfire! [It’s] time to hold these corrupt politicians and fraudsters accountable!”

The accompanying 42-minute video shows Shirley attempting to visit multiple centers that reportedly received state funds, in many cases not finding children. Likewise, KSTP reported that the Quality Learing Center had 95 citations for violations from one Minnesota agency from 2019 to 2023.

Assistant United States Attorney Joe Thompson suggested Dec. 18 the amount of suspected fraud in Minnesota’s Medicaid program had reached over $9 billion. (Read more from “YouTuber Nick Shirley Exposes Alleged Somali Daycare Center Which Reportedly Reaped $4,000,000 From Taxpayers” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Trump Explodes at DOJ Over Epstein Files, Demands Agency to ‘Embarrass’ Democrats

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In a furious escalation of tensions between the Executive Branch and federal investigators, President Donald Trump has launched a blistering attack on the Department of Justice regarding its handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. The president’s latest outburst suggests a deepening rift within Washington, as he demands that federal resources be immediately diverted away from the deceased financier’s records and redirected toward his long-standing claims of election fraud.

This confrontation follows a revelation from the DOJ that officials have unearthed a staggering cache of over one million additional documents potentially linked to the Jeffrey Epstein case. Federal authorities are currently wading through this massive trove of materials, a process mandated by transparency legislation that the president himself signed into law.

Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump lambasted the department’s ‘exhaustive’ review process, characterising the allocation of manpower as a misdirection of justice. In his view, the continued scrutiny of the sex offender’s network serves only to distract from what he considers the nation’s most urgent political crises.

‘When do they say NO MORE, and work on Election Fraud etc.,’ Trump posted, deploying his signature capitalised style to emphasise his frustration. ‘The Dems are the ones who worked with Epstein, not the Republicans’.

The president went further, urging the DOJ to simply ‘release all of their names, [and] embarrass them’ so the country could move forward. He framed the ongoing investigation as ‘another Witch Hunt!!!’, accusing his political opponents of weaponising the scandal to overshadow his administration’s policy achievements. (Read more from “Trump Explodes at DOJ Over Epstein Files, Demands Agency to ‘Embarrass’ Democrats” HERE)

FBI Caught Hillary Clinton Discussing Donations With Foreign Felon

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As Hillary Clinton closed in on the presidential nomination in the spring of 2016, FBI field officers advised colleagues at headquarters to press her on the foreign donations flowing to the Clinton Foundation while she steered American foreign policy and whether she had used the charity as a campaign piggy bank.

But FBI HQ in Washington — a city in which the former secretary of state and first lady wields enormous influence — let the trail go cold.

FBI New York Assistant Director in Charge Diego Rodriguez advised agents in Washington to ask Clinton several questions about the foundation, which are reproduced in full in documents released to the Senate Judiciary Committee by the FBI and published on Dec. 15. The questions reveal the concerns about foreign bribery that the Clinton Foundation case — codenamed “Cracked Foundation” — had uncovered.

Among the evidence available to investigators, according to their questions: A recorded conversation between Clinton and Indian hotel magnate Sant Singh Chatwal in which Clinton discussed donations to the foundation and her remaining 2008 campaign debt. The new documents confirm that FBI had at one time been “intercepting individuals associated with the Clinton Foundation.”

But when Clinton arrived to the FBI two months later, in July 2016, to answer questions about her use of a private email server in a separate investigation codenamed “Midyear Exam,” D.C. agents asked nothing about the allegations of pay-to-play with foreign governments or use of the global charity as a slush fund. (Read more from “FBI Caught Hillary Clinton Discussing Donations With Foreign Felon” HERE)

Study: AI-Powered Job Interviews Are Causing Havoc for Applicants *and* Employers

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AI continues to reshape the job market for both employers and job seekers, as candidates turn to ChatGPT to help with writing and employers use fully AI-driven interviews to screen applicants. Some experts say AI leaves both sides of the job market in a “doom loop” of dissatisfaction as technology fails to help the right people find the right job.

The integration of AI into the hiring process has become increasingly prevalent this year, with more than half of the organizations surveyed by the Society for Human Resource Management utilizing AI to recruit workers in 2025. Additionally, an estimated third of ChatGPT users have reportedly relied on the OpenAI chatbot to assist with their job search. While these technological advancements may seem like a step towards efficiency and modernization, recent research suggests that the use of AI in hiring may be causing more harm than good.

A study conducted by Anaïs Galdin from Dartmouth and Jesse Silbert from Princeton analyzed cover letters for tens of thousands of job applications on Freelancer.com. The researchers discovered that after the introduction of ChatGPT in 2022, the cover letters became longer and better-written. However, this improvement in quality led companies to place less emphasis on the cover letters, making it more difficult to identify qualified candidates from the applicant pool. Consequently, the hiring rate and average starting wage decreased.

Moreover, with the increased volume of applications, employers are turning to automated interviews. A survey by recruiting software firm Greenhouse in October revealed that 54 percent of US job seekers have experienced an AI-led interview. While virtual interviews gained popularity during the pandemic in 2020, the use of AI to ask questions has not made the process any less subjective.

The widespread adoption of AI in hiring has created what Daniel Chait, CEO of Greenhouse, calls a “doom loop,” leaving both job seekers and employers feeling frustrated and dissatisfied with the process. Chait explains, “Both sides are saying, ‘This is impossible, it’s not working, it’s getting worse.’” (Read more from “Study: AI-Powered Job Interviews Are Causing Havoc for Applicants *and* Employers” HERE)

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DOJ Says Over One Million Additional Epstein Files Will Be Released in Coming Weeks

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The Department of Justice says it has received more than one million newly-discovered documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein and is now reviewing them for public release in the coming weeks under federal law and court orders.

According to a statement issued on Christmas Eve, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI uncovered a massive new collection of Epstein-related material and transferred it to the DOJ for processing.

The department said teams of attorneys are “working around the clock” to review the files and apply legally-required redactions to protect victims before publication. Because of the sheer size of the collection, officials cautioned that the process may take several more weeks, but emphasized that the DOJ intends to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act as well as “President Trump’s direction to release the files.”

The announcement coincides with a more assertive posture from the DOJ’s official X account, which has recently issued posts challenging rumors and disputed claims surrounding the Epstein releases. Among them was the department’s assertion that a supposed postcard allegedly written by Epstein to Larry Nassar was fabricated.

The heightened messaging came as the DOJ rolled out a new batch of previously unseen Epstein records earlier this week — roughly 11,000 files totaling close to 30,000 pages, including photographs, court exhibits, agency documents, emails, and video material.

Rep. Ro Khanna, the California Democrat who helped lead the bipartisan effort to force the release of the Epstein files, described the latest tranche as “a bombshell.” He pointed to records indicating that Donald Trump flew on Epstein’s plane at least eight times between 1993 and 1996 — a higher number than had previously been indicated in earlier communications from federal officials.

Khanna accused the department of prioritizing the protection of powerful figures tied to Epstein over transparency for survivors, whose identities must be legally redacted.

His co-sponsor on the disclosure effort, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, questioned who was operating the DOJ’s social media account on Christmas Eve after posts appeared using casual language to address reporters.

Criticism of the department’s rollout also came from outside government, including former Obama national security adviser Tommy Vietor, who called the DOJ’s approach “incompetent.” At the same time, transparency and legal analysts warned that many documents in the releases contain duplicates, heavy redactions, or unverified allegations that should not be treated as established fact.

The latest publications also renewed scrutiny of Epstein’s wider network after an internal 2019 email — shared publicly by journalist Julie K. Brown — showed federal investigators attempting to contact roughly ten potential “co-conspirators” following Epstein’s arrest.

Most of the names were redacted, but three remained visible: Ghislaine Maxwell, later convicted of sex-trafficking offenses; former modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, who died in custody in France in 2022; and billionaire retailer Leslie Wexner, a onetime Epstein associate who cut ties with him in 2007.

Attorneys for Wexner told BBC News that prosecutors said he was neither a target nor a co-conspirator and that he cooperated with investigators when contacted.

With more than a million additional records now in the pipeline, the disclosure effort is poised to continue into the coming weeks — likely prolonging political and public debate over Epstein’s network and the government’s handling of the case.

Experts say future releases may add new context but stress that raw investigative materials often contain leads, allegations, or partial information rather than definitive conclusions.

Holiday Travelers Stranded at JFK Airport as Winter Storm Triggers Hundreds of Flight Cancellations

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Frustrated holiday travelers were left stranded at John F. Kennedy International Airport Friday night after hundreds of flights were canceled as a snowstorm slammed New York City and the tri-state area.

The wintery conditions sent post-Christmas travel plans at the Big Apple transit hub into a frenzy, leaving frazzled vacationers huddled on the floor with their families and luggage as they desperately waited for updates on rebooked flights that will take them home.

“I came to New York to have a ‘Home Alone’ Christmas just by myself,” Danniel Sermone, a 31-year-old who has been stuck at JFK since his Denver flight was axed Friday morning, told The Post.

“I wanted to hang out. I went shopping, and went to Times Square, crossed up there for a while with the big crowd. My next available flight is at 6 a.m. on the 28th. So I have been hanging out at JFK for about eight hours and still got like 30 left.”

More than half of the Empire State was placed under a state of emergency as forecasters warned that parts of the region would be walloped by nearly a foot of snow through Saturday afternoon. (Read more from “Holiday Travelers Stranded at JFK Airport as Winter Storm Triggers Hundreds of Flight Cancellations” HERE)

Kash Patel Confirms FBI’s J. Edgar Hoover Building to Be Shut Down ‘Permanently’

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Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel confirmed that the agency will be shutting down the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, DC, “permanently.”

In a post on X, Patel explained that initially, there had been a plan to build a “new headquarters that wouldn’t open until 2035” for almost $5 billion. Patel added that the plan was “scrapped” and the agency “selected the already-existing Reagan Building, saving billions.”

“After more than 20 years of failed attempts, we finalized a plan to permanently close the FBI’s Hoover headquarters and move the workforce into a safe, modern facility,” Patel said. “Working directly with President Trump and Congress, we accomplished what no one else could.”

Patel’s post continued in part:

When we arrived, taxpayers were about to be on the hook for nearly $5 billion for a new headquarters that wouldn’t open until 2035. We scrapped that plan. Instead, we selected the already-existing Reagan Building, saving billions and allowing the transition to begin immediately with required safety and infrastructure upgrades already underway. Once complete, most of the HQ FBI workforce will move in, and the rest are continuing in our ongoing push to put more manpower in the field, where they will remain.

(Read more from “Kash Patel Confirms FBI’s J. Edgar Hoover Building to Be Shut Down ‘Permanently’” HERE)

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Former GOP Sen. Ben Sasse Reveals Stage-4 Cancer Diagnosis: ‘It’s a Death Sentence’

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Former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska announced on Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with metastatic stage-four pancreatic cancer, candidly calling it “a death sentence.”

“This is a tough note to write, but since a bunch of you have started to suspect something, I’ll cut to the chase: Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and am gonna die,” Sasse wrote in a post on X.

“Advanced pancreatic is nasty stuff; it’s a death sentence. But I already had a death sentence before last week too — we all do,” he continued.

Sasse, who is just 53 years old, noted, “I’ve got less time than I’d prefer.”

But he also expressed his eternal hope, noting that he is a Christian.

“As a Christian, the weeks running up to Christmas are a time to orient our hearts toward the hope of what’s to come,” he wrote. (Read more from “Former GOP Sen. Ben Sasse Reveals Stage-4 Cancer Diagnosis: ‘It’s a Death Sentence’” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

New Epstein Files Ignite Firestorm: Disturbing Mansion Photos, Exposed Redactions — and Alleged Trump Flight Logs Rock Public Trust

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A new wave of documents and images from the Justice Department’s ongoing Epstein file release is shining a disturbing light into the late financier’s Manhattan townhouse — and sparking outrage after tech users uncovered that many of the government’s redactions can be bypassed with basic software tools.

The photos, taken inside Epstein’s sprawling Upper East Side mansion, reveal a trove of unsettling décor and role-play outfits, including childlike costumes, eerie taxidermy, and multiple pieces of artwork depicting children in inappropriate or compromising poses. One sculpture shows a ghostly bride figure gripping a rope in the home’s entryway. In another image, a framed picture of a young boy peering down his pants hangs on the wall.

Across the townhouse, more framed prints of children — along with bizarre props and staged costumes — add to what critics are calling a “window into Epstein’s twisted aesthetic.” The images were released as part of the DOJ’s compliance with a congressional deadline requiring the agency to turn over Epstein-related records.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the decision to publish only a portion of the files ahead of the deadline, arguing that certain materials must remain shielded to protect survivors and private information. But the department is now facing a new controversy — because some of the very redactions meant to obscure names and details can apparently be removed with a simple copy-and-paste.

Tech-savvy users online demonstrated that portions blacked out in Adobe Acrobat reappear when pasted into programs like Google Docs or Microsoft Word. The glitch quickly went viral, fueling accusations of government incompetence and raising questions about whether sensitive content has now been unintentionally exposed. The authenticity of those unmasked sections, however, has not been independently verified.

The broader document dump has already produced a wave of explosive — and in some cases never-before-seen — photographs of Epstein with powerful political figures and celebrities. Among them are images of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson, and a shirtless Bill Clinton relaxing in a hot tub with an unidentified woman. Other photos show Clinton alongside Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell during travels abroad.

The files also include a newly publicized prosecutor email alleging that President Donald Trump flew on Epstein’s jet more frequently in the 1990s than previously reported — including several flights where Maxwell was also on board. The email does not accuse Trump of any crime, and the Justice Department has emphasized that some of the allegations in the records are “untrue and sensationalized,” stating that if any credible wrongdoing existed, it would have already surfaced. [via Reuters:]

In an email dated January 7, 2020, the unidentified prosecutor wrote that flight records showed Trump had flown on Epstein’s private jet eight times during the 1990s. Among those were at least four flights on which Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell was also aboard. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence for helping late financier Epstein sexually abuse underage girls.

In a social media post in 2024, Trump said he “was never on Epstein’s Plane, or at his ‘stupid’ Island.” There was no allegation in the prosecutor’s email that Trump had committed any crime. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the email.

On one flight described in the newly released records, the only three passengers were Epstein, Trump and a 20-year-old woman whose name was redacted. “On two other flights, two of the passengers, respectively, were women who would be possible witnesses in a Maxwell case,” the document stated.

Epstein’s world — and the powerful orbit around him — continues to ignite public anger and suspicion as each new batch of files drops. And with the DOJ promising more releases in the coming weeks, pressure is mounting for full transparency — along with renewed scrutiny over how such sensitive records are being handled.

Winter Storm Poised To Bring Snow and Ice to the Northeast Christmas Night

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Holiday travelers across the Northeast can expect relatively smooth conditions heading into Christmas — but forecasters warn a fast-moving winter storm is lining up to bring snow, ice and hazardous roads shortly afterward.

Meteorologists with the FOX Forecast Center say a brief window of calm weather will give way to a wintry mix beginning Christmas night and continuing into Saturday. While the exact track of the storm is still taking shape, confidence is growing about the timing and potential impacts across several states.

The system is expected to spread rain, snow and freezing rain across the region starting Friday, with the most active period lasting into early Saturday. Snow accumulation is likely from the Catskills and Poconos through parts of the tri-state area, including New York City and portions of New Jersey and Connecticut.

Preliminary projections suggest many communities from central New Jersey through NYC and southern Connecticut could pick up around 3–5 inches of snowfall, with some localized totals possibly reaching 5–8 inches depending on how long colder air lingers.

As the storm approaches, Winter Weather Advisories or Winter Storm Warnings are considered likely.

A strong high-pressure system over Quebec is also contributing to an elevated risk of icing — particularly in central Pennsylvania — where forecasters say ice accumulation could reach one-tenth to one-quarter of an inch. A few isolated pockets may see even more, which could trigger scattered power outages and slick, dangerous roads.

Areas from State College, Pennsylvania, extending south toward Frederick, Maryland, are currently highlighted as zones with the greatest potential for impactful ice. Drivers in those regions may face treacherous conditions from Friday afternoon through early Saturday morning.

The good news: the system is expected to move quickly. Road conditions should begin improving by Saturday afternoon as precipitation tapers off and crews work to clear affected areas.

However, the break may be brief. Forecasters are already monitoring another storm system projected to swing through the Northeast late in the weekend and into early next week, potentially bringing another round of rain and snow in the days leading up to New Year’s Eve.

Residents are encouraged to monitor local forecasts, prepare for possible travel disruptions, and stay alert for updated advisories as the storm path becomes clearer.