2026年9月21日 美国东部时间12:00 / 福克斯新闻
明尼苏达州副州长在访问索马里裔市场时佩戴头巾，欺诈丑闻持续发酵
明尼苏达州副州长佩吉·弗拉纳根参观卡梅尔索马里市场。（图片来源：明尼苏达州索马里电视台）
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明尼苏达州民主党参议员候选人佩吉·弗拉纳根的一位老朋友经营的自闭症康复中心正因欺诈行为接受调查，这引发了社交媒体上对弗拉纳根的大量批评。在一段 viral 视频中，弗拉纳根佩戴头巾为索马里裔社区发声，而该中心负责人当时就站在她身旁。
据Alpha新闻率先报道，由尼姆科·艾哈迈德运营的里程碑发展中心与光谱治疗中心一同正在接受调查，明尼苏达州人类服务部已向福克斯新闻数字频道证实了这一消息。
“这些机构已进入我们的监管视野，”人类服务部发言人表示，“明尼苏达州人类服务部正对光谱治疗中心和里程碑发展中心展开公开调查。如果某家机构正处于公开调查中，根据法律规定，本部门不能披露具体细节。”
“不过，我们可以分享以下信息：数月前，明尼苏达州人类服务部在2026年重新认证工作中终止了两家机构参与医疗补助计划的资格。重新认证是一个验证机构是否具备必要资质、是否符合州及联邦法规的流程。两家机构均已对其终止资格的决定提起上诉。”
明尼苏达州参议员候选人因将欺诈归咎于瓦尔茨遭抨击，尽管她是其副手：‘明知道自己没戏了’
去年12月，明尼苏达州副州长佩吉·弗拉纳根与运营着如今正接受调查的自闭症康复中心的尼姆科·艾哈迈德一同佩戴头巾参观了一家索马里裔市场。（图片来源：明尼苏达州索马里电视台）
在这场主要涉及当地索马里裔社区的大规模欺诈丑闻引发广泛关注之际，一段由索马里电视台发布的视频在社交媒体上 viral 传播。视频中，艾哈迈德出镜，弗拉纳根佩戴头巾并表示：“索马里裔社区是明尼苏达州社会结构的一部分。”
据Alpha新闻报道，出生于索马里的艾哈迈德是明尼苏达州明尼苏达民主-农民-劳工党（DFL）的长期活跃成员，她与弗拉纳根相识已近25年。
福克斯新闻数字频道已联系弗拉纳根的竞选团队置评。
‘你别想升官’：共和党对手敦促佩吉·弗拉纳根退出参议员竞选，此前瓦尔茨宣布退选
明尼苏达州民主党参议员候选人、副州长佩吉·弗拉纳根在本届中期选举中借进步浪潮之势参选，但在击败温和派候选人之前，她就曾卷入本州这场规模浩大的欺诈丑闻。（图片来源：斯蒂芬·马图伦/盖蒂图片社）
欺诈调查的消息迅速引发了对弗拉纳根的批评。自2019年起担任该州副州长的弗拉纳根，近年来屡屡被质疑为何未采取更多措施应对这起欺诈丑闻。
“站在佩吉·弗拉纳根身旁、一同佩戴头巾的尼姆科·艾哈迈德，如今正运营着一家接受调查的自闭症康复中心，”《市政厅》专栏作家达斯汀·格雷奇在X平台上发帖称，“这简直编都编不出来。”
“这事根本没完没了，”保守派网红LibsofTikTok在X平台上发帖称。
“我都快跟不上节奏了，”前纽约警局督察、福克斯新闻撰稿人保罗·毛罗在X平台上发帖称。
Alpha新闻报道称，2023年末，前里程碑发展中心治疗师格兰特·摩根在该中心工作的两个月期间，每周六天都直接对接客户。他表示，自己从未见过有合格督导专业人员或认证行为分析师负责监督工作，许多从业者看起来资质不足，对应用行为分析知之甚少。
他还称，尽管服务记录是医疗补助计划报销的核心依据，但他从未被要求撰写或签署记录服务内容的疗程笔记。
摩根形容该中心的治疗效果不佳，称里程碑发展中心未提供全面的自闭症服务。他还声称，部分客户看起来并不像自闭症患者，并指出了潜在的计费欺诈风险信号，尽管他并未参与计费工作。
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视频
福克斯新闻数字频道已联系里程碑发展中心置评。
据报道，艾哈迈德告诉Alpha新闻，针对其中心护理质量的质疑是“偏见”，并称该媒体报道此事是因为她是索马里裔。她否认里程碑发展中心缺乏合格督导专业人员或认证行为分析师的监督，称所有儿童都有自闭症诊断证明，并坚称该中心遵守州级规定，且定期接受审计。
福克斯新闻数字频道的普雷斯顿·米泽尔为本报道贡献了内容
安德鲁·马克·米勒是福克斯新闻记者。可在推特@andymarkmiller 关注他，或发送爆料邮件至AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com。
MN Dem Senate candidate’s viral hijab video takes new turn as woman beside her faces major state investigation
September 21, 2026 12:00pm EDT / Fox News
Minnesota lieutenant governor dons hijab in visit to Somali market as fraud scandal unfolds
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan visited the Karmel Somali market. (Credit: Somali TV Minnesota)
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An autism center run by a longtime friend of Minnesota Democratic Senate candidate Peggy Flanagan, who stood next to Flanagan while she wore a hijab defending the Somali community in a viral video, is being investigated for fraud, sparking a flurry of criticism of Flanagan on social media.
The Milestone Development Center, operated by Nimco Ahmed, is being investigated along with the Spectrum Therapy Center, Alpha News first reported, in a move the Minnesota Department of Human Services confirmed to Fox News Digital.
“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.”
“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.”
MN SENATE CANDIDATE RIPPED FOR BLAMING WALZ FOR FRAUD DESPITE BEING HIS #2: ‘KNOWS SHE’S COOKED’
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan visited a Somali market wearing a hijab in December alongside Nimco Ahmed, who runs an autism center that is now under investigation.(Somali TV Minnesota)
Ahmed, listed online as the CEO of Milestone, was featured in a video posted on Somali TV that went viral on social media amid the massive fraud scandal, largely involving the local Somali community, where Flanagan wore a hijab and said, “The Somali community is part of the fabric of the state of Minnesota.”
Ahmed, born in Somalia, is a longtime Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) activist in Minnesota, and Alpha News reports she has been friends with Flanagan for almost 25 years.
Fox News Digital reached out to Flanagan’s campaign for comment.
‘YOU DON’T GET A PROMOTION’: GOP RIVAL URGES PEGGY FLANAGAN TO QUIT SENATE RACE AFTER WALZ BOWS OUT
Minnesota’s Democratic Senate nominee, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, is riding the progressive wave this midterm election cycle, but before handing moderates a resounding defeat, she had a front row seat in the sprawling fraud scandal in her home state.(Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
News of the fraud investigation quickly sparked criticism of Flanagan, who has served as the state’s lieutenant governor since 2019 and is often questioned about why more was not done to address the fraud scandal over the past several years.
“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.
“I can’t even keep up anymore,” retired NYPD inspector and Fox News contributor Paul Mauro posted on X.
Alpha News reported that former Milestone therapist Grant Morgan worked directly with clients six days a week during his two months there in late 2023 and said he never saw a Qualified Supervising Professional or Board Certified Behavior Analyst overseeing the work, and that many practitioners appeared unqualified and knew little about applied behavior analysis.
He also said he was never asked to write or sign session notes documenting services, despite those notes being central to how providers bill Medicaid.
Morgan described the treatments as ineffective and said Milestone did not provide comprehensive autism services. He also claimed some clients did not appear to be autistic and said he saw potential billing fraud red flags, though he was not involved in billing.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Milestone for comment.
Ahmed reportedly told Alpha News’ that questions about care at her center were “bias” and said the outlet pursued the story because she is Somali. She denied that Milestone lacked QSP or BCBA oversight, said all children had autism diagnoses, and maintained that the center follows state requirements and is regularly audited.
Fox News Digital’s Preston Mizell contributed to this report
Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.
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