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Nonprofit revenue totals surge amid growing scrutiny after major fraud cases

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Hundreds of billions of dollars flowed through U.S. nonprofit organizations in 2024, tax filing data show, as major fraud cases — including in Minnesota — put new focus on how taxpayer-backed funds are overseen.

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The figures come from ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer and were independently reviewed by Fox News, which confirmed the state-by-state revenue totals.

According to the data, California’s 213,720 nonprofits reported a collective $593.4 billion in revenue, the highest total of any state.

For nonprofit organizations, revenue refers to total income reported on tax filings – not profit or money pocketed by individuals – and can include government grants and reimbursements, donations, service fees, investment income and contracts for public services.

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COMER VOWS MINNESOTA FRAUD PROBE WILL EXPAND TO OTHER STATES AMID MOUNTING SCRUTINY

The IRS (Internal Revenue Service) headquarters building in Washington DC (Getty Images)

Following California was New York, where 132,097 nonprofits reported a collective $445.8 billion in revenue. Pennsylvania’s 85,346 nonprofits reported $247.3 billion, while Texas’ 157,840 nonprofits reported $219.6 billion.

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Other notable states include Washington, where 44,332 nonprofits reported $139.5 billion in revenue; New Jersey, where 56,332 nonprofits reported $113 billion; and Minnesota, where 41,267 nonprofits reported $124.2 billion — placing the state among the top revenue totals nationwide despite its smaller population.

The figures circulated widely on social media on Monday after an X user highlighted the totals using the term «NGOs.» The «NGO» label is oftentimes applied to international organizations but is sometimes used online to describe domestic nonprofit groups, which are the focus of the ProPublica database.

JASON CHAFFETZ: DEMOCRATS TURNED OUR TREASURY INTO A ‘PIGGY BANK FOR FRAUDSTERS’

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IRS documents

Nonprofit revenue figures are based on tax filings and include grants, donations and fees. (Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Although nonprofit revenue does not indicate wrongdoing, the heavy reliance on taxpayer-backed federal and state programs has drawn scrutiny as investigators uncover fraud in multiple publicly funded initiatives.

That scrutiny comes as the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced it is sending additional federal prosecutors to Minnesota to help crack down on large-scale fraud involving taxpayer-funded programs, following a series of high-profile cases tied to nonprofit organizations and social services spending.

«The Department of Justice is dispatching a team of prosecutors to Minnesota to reinforce our U.S. Attorney’s Office and put the perpetrators of this widespread fraud behind bars,» Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News on Wednesday, vowing «severe consequences» in Minnesota.

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COMER SAYS WALZ ‘RETALIATED’ AGAINST WHISTLEBLOWERS WHO WARNED OF MINNESOTA FRAUD FOR YEARS

US AG Pam Bondi speaks during a congressional hearing

Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department is ready to deploy prosecutors nationwide to combat fraud. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

She also said her department stands «ready to deploy to any other state where similar fraud schemes are robbing American taxpayers.»

Bondi’s remarks come as the DOJ continues a sweeping welfare fraud investigation that began under former Attorney General Merrick Garland.

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In 2022, Garland announced the first wave of indictments in what he said was a $250 million scheme involving the Minnesota-based nonprofit Feeding Our Future, which authorities accused of exploiting taxpayer-funded child nutrition programs and described at the time as the largest pandemic-related fraud uncovered to date.

‘TIP OF THE ICEBERG’: SENATE REPUBLICANS PRESS GOV WALZ OVER MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL

Feeding our Future office in St. Anthony, Minnesota

The Feeding Our Future nonprofit was at the center of a sweeping federal fraud investigation in Minnesota. (Shari L. Gross/Star Tribune via Getty Images)

Under Bondi, the DOJ has continued pursuing cases tied to Feeding Our Future, along with related investigations involving alleged juror bribery and health care fraud. Bondi has said the scope of the misconduct is larger than previously understood and warned that additional criminal charges are expected, bolstered by the deployment of more federal prosecutors to Minnesota.

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To date, the department has charged 98 people in fraud-related cases in Minnesota and secured 64 convictions. The vast majority of defendants have been of Somali descent.

Health and Human Services said this month that it froze billions of dollars in federal funding for childcare programs and other social services in five Democrat-led states, including Minnesota, while it investigates their use of taxpayer dollars.

MINNESOTA AG BLASTS HOUSE HEARING ON FRAUD SCANDAL IN HIS STATE : ‘A LOT OF BULLS— FROM REPUBLICANS’

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A viral video posted by YouTube creator Nick Shirley in December amplified the attention on fraud in Minnesota. In the video, Shirley is seen visiting Somali-run daycare centers and finding they were closed. The videos have attracted millions of views on social media.

Some of the daycare centers have since disputed the suggestions in Shirley’s video and said they have never committed fraud.

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ProPublica’s data reflect reported tax filings and does not allege wrongdoing.

Fox News Digital’s Ashley Oliver contributed to this report.

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ICE head says agents facing ‘constant impediments’ after migrant seen ramming cars while trying to flee

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Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons argued on Tuesday that federal immigration agents are facing «constant impediments» and «constant attacks» after video showed a suspected illegal migrant in San Antonio ramming cars in an attempt to flee.

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The video shows the migrant in a car ramming into vehicles that were blocking them in from the front and the back, as the individual attempted to evade arrest.

During an appearance on Fox News’ «Hannity,» Lyons was asked if rhetoric from Democrats criticizing ICE can be tied to incidents like these.

REP RO KHANNA DEMANDS PROSECUTION OF ICE AGENT IN MINNEAPOLIS SHOOTING

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Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons argued that federal immigration agents are facing «constant impediments» and «constant attacks.» (Reuters/Leah Millis)

«When we hear elected officials calling upon individuals to impede or obstruct ICE law enforcement operations nationwide, you’re going to see incidents like this,» Lyons responded. «You saw the officers and agents attempting to apprehend a criminally illegal alien, and there they are using their car as a weapon.»

Lyons said one of the agents went to a hospital with neck injuries after their vehicle was struck in the incident.

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«Every day, this is what the men and women of ICE are facing,» he claimed. «It’s constant impediments, constant attacks like this. And it’s not safe for my folks, it’s not safe for the public. It really needs to stop.»

He also purported that «criminal gangs» are organizing groups to impede or obstruct immigration enforcement operations.

Todd Lyons testifies at a desk on Capitol Hill

New video shows a migrant in a car ramming into vehicles that were blocking them in from the front and the back, as the individual attempted to evade arrest. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

«It’s a constitutional right to go out there and protest. But when you have organized criminal gangs, which these are, that are organizing these groups to, again, impede or obstruct law enforcement operations … that’s a criminal act. I will tell you that Homeland Security investigations, my folks, the FBI, we’re investigating these and people can be held accountable because you can’t organize groups to go out and impede law enforcement. It’s a criminal act, and we have to act swiftly to prevent this from spreading,» he said.

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Lyons was also asked about recent comments from Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, who vowed to prosecute any ICE agent who commits unlawful acts during operations in the city while stressing that his threat does not apply to «honest, decent, moral» agents.

«The men and women of ICE, the men and women of HSI, they’re not committing any crimes,» Lyons argued. «So he doesn’t have to worry about arresting any of my folks because what we’re doing is we’re enforcing the law. We are out there every day making this nation and his city safe again. So he shouldn’t worry about the men and women of ICE. What he should worry about is the sanctuary policies that have these criminal aliens go back to his neighborhoods and commit heinous crimes like fentanyl trafficking, human trafficking, rape of a child. He should focus on those and let law enforcement do law enforcement work.»

PHOTOS RELEASED OF RENEE NICOLE GOOD, THE US CITIZEN KILLED BY ICE IN MINNESOTA

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ICE agents

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said one of the agents went to a hospital with neck injuries after their vehicle was struck in the incident. (Christopher Dilts/Getty Images)

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This comes on the heels of a recent incident in Minnesota, where Renee Nicole Good, a U.S. citizen, was fatally shot by masked ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who fired into the driver’s open window from the side of the vehicle and subsequently exclaimed «f–king b—h» as the car crashed into another parked vehicle.

Democrats and local residents have condemned the shooting as a murder and called for Ross’ prosecution, while the Trump administration and Republican lawmakers have defended the incident by arguing that it was a justified shooting.

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Multiple people killed after construction crane falls, derails train in Thailand

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At least 22 people were killed and 64 injured in Thailand Wednesday after a construction crane fell on a passenger train, officials said.

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The crane struck a moving train in Nakhon Ratchasima province as it traveled from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani, causing the train to derail and catch fire, according to the province’s Public Relations Department.

The department said in a Facebook post that the fire was under control and that officials were searching for people believed to be trapped inside the train.

LOCALS CALL OUT ‘EXCESSIVE TOURISM’ AFTER TRAM CRASH LEAVES AT LEAST 15 DEAD AND 18 INJURED

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A construction crane fell into a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand, on Wednesday, Jan. 14.  (State Railway of Thailand via AP)

Transport Minister Piphat Ratchakitprakan said there were nearly 200 people on board the train and that an investigation was underway.

SEVERAL ELEPHANTS KILLED IN TRAIN COLLISION AS IMPACT CAUSES MULTIPLE COACHES TO DERAIL

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The aftermath of a deadly crane collapse that struck a passenger train in Thailand. (State Railway of Thailand via AP)

«Nineteen bodies have been recovered, but there are still some inside the train carriages that cannot be removed yet because the crane started shifting, so the team pulled back for fear of danger,» said Police Col. Thatchapon Chinnawong, according to Reuters. 

Chinnawong added that those who were killed were in two of the three carriages struck by the crane.

Thailand train derailment

A train traveling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani derailed after a construction crane fell onto one of its carriages. (Ministry of Transport/Handout via Reuters)

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This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.



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El primer mensaje en la cuenta de Nicolás Maduro tras el final del bloqueo a X en Venezuela

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Tras más de un año de bloqueo, Venezuela levantó este martes la prohibición a la red social X, antes conocida como Twitter, que es propiedad del magnate estadounidense Elon Musk. Hubo mensajes de los principales dirigentes del chavismo. Y se destacó una imagen en la cuenta del propio Nicolás Maduro, detenido en una cárcel de Nueva York.

En el perfil del líder chavista publicaron un afiche que lo muestra con su esposa Cilia Flores, también capturada por Estados Unidos; y con la actual presidenta encargada de Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez.

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Sobre impreso hay un contador que reza: «Han transcurrido 11 días de su secuestro».

Más abajo se encuentra la consigna con la que el gobierno venezolano busca impulsar una tendencia en la red social X: «#LosQueremosDeVuelta». Y al pie van los nombres completos de Maduro y Flores, junto con sus funciones. «Presidente de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela» y «Primera Combatiente», respectivamente.

Venezuela restableció el acceso a X en la noche del martes. El bloqueo había sido ordenado hace más de un año por el depuesto presidente Nicolás Maduro luego de su controvertida reelección en julio de 2024.

La suspensión entró en vigencia el 9 de agosto de 2024, poco después de ser proclamado vencedor de las presidenciales entre denuncias de fraude.

Ministros, parlamentarios e instituciones del gobierno pararon el uso de esta red que era el primer canal de información del país. Desde entonces su acceso dentro de Venezuela era solo posible mediante el uso de una red privada, también denominada VPN.

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Usuarios de la operadora telefónica Digitel podían acceder a X, constató la AFP. En otras compañías como Movistar y la estatal Cantv el acceso a la plataforma era aún parcial.

El mensaje anterior de Maduro databa del 8 de agosto de 2024.

«Fuera X por #10Días de Venezuela! En nuestro país hay Constitución, Ley, Instituciones y Estado. 10 días para que presente sus recaudos. Qué se acaben los planes en redes para sembrar violencia, odio y de atacar a #Venezuela desde el exterior. El #PuebloVenezolano merece respeto», afirmó en ese tuit.

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Iba acompañada de una «nota de la comunidad» en la que desmentían la acusación del líder chavista.

«La aplicación X no es la que genera odio o violencia, como trata de relatarlo Nicolás Maduro, permite la libertad de expresión y en el contexto sociopolítico venezolano actual, la transparencia es una desventaja para el régimen, por lo que decide restringirla», señalaba esa nota.

Los primeros tuits de Delcy Rodríguez y Diosdado Cabello, pero sin cuentas verificadas

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Altos dirigentes del chavismo como la presidenta interina, Delcy Rodríguez, y el ministro de Interior, Diosdado Cabello, publicaron mensajes más temprano para informar que retomaban el uso de X.

«Retomamos contacto por esta vía. Venezuela sigue de pie, con fortaleza y conciencia histórica. íSigamos unidos, avanzando por la tranquilidad económica, la justicia social y el Estado de bienestar en el que merecemos encontrarnos!», publicó Rodríguez.

La presidenta interina asumió el poder tras la captura de Maduro el 3 de enero durante ataques de fuerzas estadounidenses que dejaron más de 100 muertos en Venezuela, según cifras oficiales.

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Por su parte, Cabello confirmó que va a «retomar» la vía de X para comunicarse con sus seguidores.

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«Paso por aquí a darle un gran abrazo a los hermanos y hermanas de Venezuela y el mundo que han estado pendientes del tema de nuestro país, vamos a retomar esta vía para comunicarnos, pendientes. Nosotros Venceremos!!», escribió el número dos del partido.

Un detalle: en las primeras horas ninguno de los dos tenía cuenta verificada, ni la azul, de usuario pago, ni la gris, atribuida la «cuenta de una organización gubernamental o multilateral».

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Maduro sí tiene tilde azul, por una verificación realizada en abril de 2013.

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