Exclusive: Right-Wing Influencers Pivot from Minnesota to California in New Wave of Unsubstantiated Fraud Claims

Just weeks after a coordinated campaign by right-wing social media personalities ignited a federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota, the same digital provocateurs are now setting their sights on California, America’s most populous Democratic stronghold. Their new target? Social welfare programs and homelessness initiatives, with allegations of massive fraud that critics say are designed to justify federal intervention in state affairs.

The migration of this online narrative began with Nick Shirley, a conservative influencer whose viral YouTube video claimed to expose a $100 million fraud scheme involving Somali childcare centers in Minnesota. Now, Shirley has announced his arrival in California with an Instagram story set to Katy Perry’s “California Gurls,” declaring that the “secrets out” as he prepares to investigate similar allegations in the Golden State.

Shirley appears to be employing the same investigative tactics that made him famous in Minnesota: showing up unannounced at daycares and demanding to see children as “proof” of fraudulent activity. He’s collaborating with Amy Reichert, a private investigator and failed politician who claims to be investigating “ghost daycares” in California. Their partnership was announced on X (formerly Twitter), with Reichert promising that Shirley’s upcoming video “is going to be 🔥.”

The timing is significant. Minnesota was already under federal scrutiny for alleged childcare fraud before Shirley’s video went viral. Local media outlets had been covering the story for years, but his social media reach transformed scattered allegations into a national narrative that preceded the Trump administration’s deployment of federal immigration agents to the state.

Now, California appears to be next in line for similar treatment. Benny Johnson, a prominent pro-Trump creator and Turning Point USA contributor, released his own documentary-style video this week, claiming to expose a “homeless industrial complex” in California. Johnson’s production featured Republican gubernatorial candidates Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton, former adviser to UK Prime Minister David Cameron, as they purported to uncover fraudulent uses of federal funding for homeless services.

The video makes extraordinary claims, including that California is “using these federal dollars to rig national elections.” When contacted for comment, Governor Gavin Newsom’s office dismissed the allegations as “literally the conspiracy theory meme in real life.” They specifically refuted Johnson’s central claim that California’s homeless shelters primarily house undocumented immigrants, responding with biting sarcasm about their “Free Unicorn for all undocumented people program.”

The coordinated nature of these campaigns extends beyond individual creators. The same week Johnson announced his California investigation, President Trump posted on Truth Social that California is “more corrupt” than Minnesota and declared that “Fraud Investigation of California has begun.” The administration followed through by appointing Colin McDonald as assistant attorney general specifically focused on fraud investigations at the Department of Justice.

The amplification machine is already in full swing. Large pro-Trump accounts and media outlets like Real America’s Voice are boosting Johnson’s video across social platforms. Talk radio host and former presidential candidate Larry Elder reposted the content, claiming that “Fraud in California makes that of Minnesota look like a starter kit.”

Even Elon Musk has entered the fray, reposting a Fox News story about California fraud with the comment “Truly insane levels of fraud!” Notably, Shirley credited Musk with initially boosting his Minnesota video back in December, suggesting a direct pipeline between social media influencers and the world’s richest man.

The pattern emerging from Minnesota to California raises serious questions about the weaponization of social media narratives to justify federal intervention in Democratic-led states. What began as viral videos from relatively unknown creators has evolved into a coordinated campaign involving the White House, major media personalities, and tech billionaires, all amplifying unsubstantiated claims that could lead to aggressive federal action against state social programs.

As California braces for what appears to be an orchestrated campaign of fraud allegations, observers note the dangerous precedent being set: that viral social media content, regardless of its factual basis, can now trigger federal investigations and potentially ICE operations in states whose political leadership differs from the current administration.

The question remains whether California will face the same fate as Minnesota, where online allegations translated into real-world consequences including family separations and community disruption. With the full weight of the federal government now apparently aligned with right-wing social media narratives, the stakes for California’s social services and immigrant communities have never been higher.

Tags: #CaliforniaFraud #ImmigrationCrackdown #RightWingInfluencers #SocialMediaConspiracy #FederalIntervention #HomelessIndustrialComplex #GhostDaycares #TrumpAdministration #ViralInvestigation #PoliticalTargeting #WelfareFraud #DigitalProvocateurs #CaliforniaUnderAttack #InfluencerInvestigation #FederalFraudProbe #MinnesotaToCalifornia #SocialMediaPower #PoliticalWeaponization #StateRights #ViralConspiracyTheory

Viral Sentences:

• “California, here we come! When @nickshirlye drops the video, it’s going to be 🔥”
• “Secrets out”
• “Fraud in California makes that of Minnesota look like a starter kit”
• “Truly insane levels of fraud!”
• “Literally the conspiracy theory meme in real life”
• “Fraud Investigation of California has begun”
• “Using these federal dollars to rig national elections”
• “As real as our Free Unicorn for all undocumented people program”
• “California is more corrupt than Minnesota”
• “When @nickshirlye drops the video, it’s going to be 🔥”

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