Michele Tafoya Gets Huge Boost In Minnesota Senate Race As Dem Nominee’s Scandal Deepens

Republican Senate nominee Michele Tafoya is seizing on a widening Minnesota fraud controversy after state officials confirmed an investigation into an autism center run by a longtime friend of her Democratic opponent, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services confirmed that Milestone Development Center and Spectrum Therapy Center are both under investigation.

“These agencies are on our radar,” a DHS spokesperson said. “The Minnesota Department of Human Services has open investigations into both Spectrum Therapy Center and Milestone Development Centers. If a provider is part of an open investigation, the department cannot by law disclose details.”

The agency also said both providers were terminated from Minnesota’s Medicaid program several months ago through the state’s 2026 revalidation process and have appealed those decisions.

“We can, however, share the following: Several months ago, the Minnesota Department of Human Services terminated both agencies from participating in the Medicaid program as part of Minnesota Revalidate 2026. Revalidation is a process to verify that agencies have required credentials and are otherwise compliant with state and federal regulations. Both providers have appealed their termination.”

Milestone is operated by Nimco Ahmed, a longtime Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party activist who has known Flanagan for years.

Ahmed drew attention after appearing alongside Flanagan during a December visit to a Somali market, where the lieutenant governor wore a hijab and defended Minnesota’s Somali community amid intense scrutiny over fraud cases involving state programs.

“The Somali community is part of the fabric of the state of Minnesota.”

There is no evidence that Flanagan is personally involved in the investigation into Milestone or accused of wrongdoing related to the center.

EXCLUSIVE: Former therapist slams ‘fraudulent autism centers’ in Minnesota, including one run by Flanagan’s ‘friend’

Peggy Flanagan said she’s been “friends for almost 25 years” with Nimco Ahmed. Now, DHS confirms an autism center operated by Ahmed is under investigation as a… pic.twitter.com/uwDSSIcYb8

— Alpha News (@AlphaNews) September 18, 2026

Still, the development has given Tafoya and other Republicans another opening to attack the record of the administration in which Flanagan has served as lieutenant governor since 2019.

Tafoya has increasingly made fraud and government accountability central issues in her Senate campaign.

The latest controversy also triggered a wave of criticism from conservative commentators online.

“Nimco Ahmed, who stood alongside Peggy Flanagan wearing a hijab, runs an autism center that is now under investigation,” Townhall columnist Dustin Grage posted on X. “You can’t make this stuff up. ”

” It just never ends,” conservative influencer LibsofTikTok posted on X.

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“I can’t even keep up anymore,” retired NYPD inspector and Fox News contributor Paul Mauro posted on X.

The investigation follows allegations from former Milestone therapist Grant Morgan, who told Alpha News that he saw potential problems during roughly two months working at the center in late 2023.

Morgan said he worked directly with clients six days a week but claimed he never saw a Qualified Supervising Professional or Board Certified Behavior Analyst overseeing the work.

He also alleged that some employees appeared unqualified, that he was not asked to complete session notes tied to Medicaid billing and that some clients did not appear to have autism.

Morgan said he was not involved in billing and did not claim firsthand knowledge of fraudulent claims being submitted.

Ahmed has disputed those allegations.

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She reportedly described questions about the center as “bias” and said Milestone was being targeted because she is Somali.

Ahmed denied that Milestone lacked QSP or BCBA oversight, maintained that all children receiving services had autism diagnoses and said the organization complies with state requirements and undergoes regular audits.

The allegations arrive during the final stretch of Minnesota‘s open U.S. Senate race between Flanagan and Tafoya.

Flanagan won the Democratic-Farmer-Labor nomination in August, while Tafoya, a former national sports broadcaster, secured the Republican nomination.

Recent polling has shown a competitive contest, although individual surveys provide only snapshots of voter sentiment and do not determine the outcome.

With fraud already a major issue in Minnesota politics, the state’s investigation into an organization run by someone personally connected to Flanagan is certain to remain part of the political fight, even as investigators have not accused the Democratic nominee herself of misconduct.

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