Posted on 01/02/2026 11:31:12 AM PST by DFG
The claim originated with The Babylon Bee, a Christian satirical outlet that Snopes has repeatedly debunked.
Claim: In December 2025, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz hired a Somali company for $8 billion to investigate fraud in the state.
As reports of a sprawling tax fraud scheme by members of Minnesota's Somali community multiplied in late December 2025, a rumor circulated online that the state's Democratic Gov. Tim Walz had granted $8 billion to a Somali company to investigate fraud in Minnesota.
For example, on Dec. 29, a Facebook user posted a screenshot of an article noting Walz's alleged decision to hire Somali investigators (archived). The report's headline read: "Walz Announces $8 Billion Grant To Somali Company To Investigate Fraud."
Many people in the comments seemed to believe the story was real and the claim, with a link to the story, also appeared on X.
Several web searches that used various combination of keywords — including "Tim Walz" or "Walz," "8 billion," "Somali company" and "investigating fraud" — revealed no reputable news reports on such a story.
Given that on Dec. 28, amid the growing reports of Somali tax fraud schemes, FBI Director Kash Patel announced the agency had "surged" investigations into fraudulent benefit claims in Minnesota, numerous news media outlets would have reported on Walz making such an announcement. This was not the case.
Instead, the rumor about Walz hiring a Somali company to investigate fraud originated with The Babylon Bee — a well-known Christian satirical website. The screenshot in the above Facebook post contained the site's logo.
(Excerpt) Read more at snopes.com ...
Babylon Bee Editor Thanks Snopes for Debunking This Believable Story About Tim Walz's $8 Billion Grant
https://twitchy.com/dougp/2026/01/02/babylon-bee-editor-thanks-snopes-for-debunking-this-believable-story-about-tim-walzs-8-billion-grant-n2423477
These people are beyond stupid.
If Snopes says it isn’t true…..
It’s true.
Snopes already has no credibility. The fact that they feel compelled to “debunk” a satire site doesn’t help at all.
I love the idea that the Left gets their panties in such a wad over what the rest of the world so easily recognizes as satire.
Apex troll.
If it is a satirical website, then it can’t be “debunked”, any more than Saturday Night Live can be debunked.
Gee, I wonder how that could ever bee? 🤣
I'm surprised that the Bee was able to get that one out before the 'real' news beat them to it.
They really have to work fast.
How do you “debunk” a satirical outlet? They never claimed it was true in the first place!
Snopes has become nothing but a tool of the Left.
-PJ
Hahahaha...I almost never get caught by the Mark of The Bee anymore, but sometimes my blood pressure spikes for a second before I even get around to looking at the source!
Snope lies. I read it on the internets.
The fact is, that this sounds like a very real action by Tim Walz, who is well known for attempting to urinate while facing into the wind. When you are talking about Tim Walz, not all of it is satire. Satire alone is not that imaginative.
Now bizarre, that is entirely possible....
Tim Walz is not an honorable person, he is a sociopath with absolutely no sense of shame.
And always has been!
its unreal they have to post this...
Let’s take the wildest claim and debunk it in order to shake all the true stories on fraud and kickbacks and votes to democrats in order to muddy all the waters.
“The claim originated with The Babylon Bee, a Christian satirical outlet that Snopes has repeatedly debunked.”
how do you “debunk” satire? ... prove that it’s actually true? ...
The Bee is just about as believable as Snopes.
“””These people are beyond stupid.”””
Are people those who believed the Babylon Bee?
Or are the people the Snopes folks who have to inform the people who believed the Babylon Bee?
What is likely wrong is the amount.
Snopes can use a small amount of difference in either direction to claim the whole story to be false.
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