Tim O’Malley will be the new director of Program Integrity, and the state will hire a third-party company, WayPoint, to help with the creation of a statewide fraud prevention program.

Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said his state “attracts criminals” when asked Sunday about rampant welfare fraud linked to Somali residents. Walz deflected blame for more than $1 billion in taxpayer funds stolen through various state programs in a Sunday interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker,

Tim O’Malley, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension under Gov. Tim Pawlenty, will serve as director of program integrity.

Gov. Walz appointed former BCA superintendent Tim O’Malley as the state’s new director of program integrity. His job is fraud prevention, and it comes at a time when Walz and the state are coming under fire.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) addressed his state’s growing fraud scandal on Friday, telling residents that the North Star State’s “generosity has been taken advantage of.” The scandal erupted after more than 50 people were convicted in connection with the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars stolen from a federally funded nutrition program.

House Oversight Committee investigates Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz over fraud schemes that cost the state billions, including the $250 million Feeding Our Future case.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced Friday morning a new hire to lead efforts to crack down on fraud at a news conference, as well as outside experts who will craft a fraud prevention program. Tim O’Malley will serve as the state’s first head of program integrity and will report directly to Walz.

Walz sought in 2022 to blame the judge for the resumed payments, prompting the judge to issue a statement that the governor was wrong, and the education department had resumed the payments on its own, not because of an order from him, the Minnesota Reformer reported in 2022.

Minneapolis residents express frustration over the state's handling of the $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud scandal, which has shaken confidence in Gov. Tim Walz and sparked debate about oversight,

Tim O’Malley was superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension under former Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

CNN NewsNight” host Abby Phillip attempted to defend Democratic Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota on Tuesday against criticism over a welfare fraud epidemic in the state. State employees accused Democratic Gov.