Last week, a new viral video exposed an empty Minneapolis daycare called The Quality Learning Center, which received millions in public funding and even spelled “learning” incorrectly on its sign. The footage, which independent videographer Nick Shirley shot, reignited outrage over oversight failures in Gov. Tim Walz’s administration and amplified calls for accountability.
Shirley’s work claims to uncover more than $110 million in apparent fraud in just one day and suggests that the scope of the scandal could reach billions, with some funds ending up going to terror groups abroad.
Curiously, after Shirley exposed the fraud, the Quality Learning Center was bustling with activity on Monday, with kids and everything.
Ibrahim Ali, the owner’s son who identified himself as the manager, rushed to defend the business after Shirley’s visit went viral. Ali claimed to the New York Post on Monday that Shirley showed up before the facility even opened for the day.
“Do you go to a coffee shop at 11 p.m. and say, ‘Hey, they’re not working’?” Ali asked.
Ali also tried to distance the business from the now-infamous typo on the sign outside the facility. According to him, the owners relied on a graphic designer who made the mistake.
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“What I understand is [the owners] dealt with a graphic designer. He did it incorrectly. I guess they didn’t think it was a big issue,” said Ali, 26, who described his role as helping with homework and paperwork at the facility.
“That’s gonna be fixed,” he added.
Despite efforts to make the daycare center appear legitimate, residents say it is almost always closed.
The resident called the kiddie scene at the site Monday — a few days after explosive footage called it out and suggested it was part of widespread state fraud — “highly unusual.
“We’ve never seen kids go in there until today. That parking lot is empty all the time, and I was under the impression that place is permanently closed,” the person said.
Monday’s busy parking lot and the roughly 20 kids streaming in and out as The Post staked out the site were in stark contrast to the neighbor’s description and YouTuber Nick Shirley’s video showing what appeared to be a facility that wasn’t in use.
“You do realize there’s supposed to be 99 children here in this building, and there’s no one here?” Shirley asked the person answering the door to the site in his clip, which was posted online Friday.
No children appeared to be at the center at the time. The facility says its hours are Monday to Thursday, 2 to 10 p.m.
Only 16 were inside the center on Monday, a far cry from the 99 it claims to handle, but it was most likely all they could corral for appearances on short notice.
A woman opening the center at 2 p.m. Monday said Shirley’s reporting was inaccurate.
“We don’t have fraud. That’s a lie,” she said, adding, “I don’t want to talk to you. I want to talk to my lawyer.”
Outside the center, another worker took out his smartphone to record a Post reporter who was asking him questions about the situation.
“Don’t f–king come to this area. Get the f–k out of here,” the employee said angrily.
Yeah, that sounds legit.
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