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Massive Cash Outflows from Minneapolis Airport

Feds Launch Major Investigation


Apparently this was a near daily occurrence at the Minneapolis Airport for more than the past 2 years.
Apparently this was a near daily occurrence at the Minneapolis Airport for more than the past 2 years.

In a revelation that has ignited national scrutiny, federal officials have disclosed that nearly $700 million in declared U.S. currency was flagged by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in passenger luggage departing from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) over the past two years. This staggering volume, detected through routine screenings and reported to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), has prompted ongoing criminal investigations into potential ties to fraud within Minnesota's Somali community. The outflows, which averaged roughly $1 million per day, stand in stark contrast to similar activities at other major U.S. airports, raising questions about oversight, immigration policies, and the broader implications for national security under the previous administration.


Breaking Down the Cash Flows: Amounts and Frequency

According to TSA data obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and whistleblower accounts, the flagged cash totaled approximately $342.37 million in 2024 and $349.4 million in 2025, culminating in a two-year figure of about $691.77 million. While carrying large sums of cash is not inherently illegal—provided amounts over $10,000 are declared to CBP—the sheer scale and consistency of these transfers have alarmed investigators.


Whistleblowers, including a former TSA agent who worked at MSP, described the activity as "routine" and occurring on a near-weekly basis. The agent recounted witnessing groups of Somali men traveling in pairs, each wheeling large suitcases packed with bundled cash, sometimes up to $1 million per bag. These couriers would declare the funds, undergo screening, and proceed without seizure, as the declarations complied with federal rules.


Over a five-year period, the whistleblower estimated the total could exceed $1 billion, though the current probes focus on the 2024-2025 time frame. Suitcases were also reportedly filled with brand-new passports in some instances, adding layers of suspicion to the operations.


The frequency suggests a well-organized network: Transfers were documented as happening multiple times per week, with couriers rotating to avoid patterns that might trigger deeper scrutiny. Federal sources indicate the outflows began escalating about a decade ago, coinciding with increased Somali immigration to Minnesota, but peaked during the Biden administration with minimal intervention.


Couriers and Destinations: A Focused Network

The couriers involved are described as a small, recurring group primarily of Somali descent, often U.S. citizens or legal residents from Minnesota's large Somali-American community—the largest in the nation. They typically traveled in pairs, dressed in business attire to blend in, and carried the cash in locked suitcases lined with bundles of $100 bills. Investigators believe these individuals were acting as professional money couriers, potentially linked to hawala networks—informal value transfer systems common in the Middle East and Africa that bypass traditional banking.


Destinations followed a consistent pattern:

Initial flights from MSP to Amsterdam were followed by connections to Dubai, with ultimate endpoints suspected to include Somalia, other African nations, and parts of the Middle East. Some funds are alleged to have supported terrorist groups like Al-Shabaab, though concrete evidence remains under investigation. The choice of MSP as a hub is attributed to its direct international flights and the concentration of Somali immigrants in the Twin Cities area.


Comparisons to Other U.S. Airports: An Anomaly in Minneapolis

What sets MSP apart is the disproportionate volume of declared cash outflows compared to other major U.S. airports. Federal officials and whistleblowers have characterized the MSP figures as "exponentially higher"—ranging from 10 to 100 times greater than outflows from hubs like New York's John F. Kennedy International (JFK), Los Angeles International (LAX), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL), or Chicago's O'Hare (ORD). One specific comparison notes that MSP's daily flagged amounts were "99 times larger" than those at JFK.


Comprehensive national statistics on declared currency outflows are not publicly detailed by CBP or the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) on a per-airport basis, but it can be gleaned from aggregate data (across all ports of entry) available from the U.S. Department of Treasury that indicates total international currency transports hover around $ $1 billion annually across all ports of entry. However, MSP's share appears anomalously high, representing a significant fraction of overall U.S. outflows far exceeding estimates for peer airports.

Airport

Estimated Annual Declared Cash Outflows (2024-2025 Avg.)

Comparison to MSP

Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP)

~$345.9 million

Baseline (10-100x higher than others)

New York JFK

~$3.5 million (based on "99x smaller" claim)

1/99th of MSP

Los Angeles LAX

Comparable to JFK/ORD (low tens of millions)

1/10th to 1/100th of MSP

Chicago O'Hare (ORD)

Comparable to JFK/ORD (low tens of millions)

1/10th to 1/100th of MSP

Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)

Comparable to JFK/ORD (low tens of millions)

1/10th to 1/100th of MSP

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL)

Comparable to JFK/ORD (low tens of millions)

1/10th to 1/100th of MSP

Note: Estimates derived from investigative reports; official per-airport data not publicly available.


Ties to Fraud and Federal Investigations

The cash flows are suspected to stem from massive fraud schemes targeting federal programs in Minnesota, including the $250 million "Feeding Our Future" scandal during the COVID-19 pandemic, where funds meant for child nutrition were allegedly siphoned off. Prosecutors have charged dozens in related cases, estimating that over half of Minnesota's federal aid since 2018 may have been fraudulently obtained. HSI and the FBI have now launched formal probes, with officials noting little action under the Biden administration but accelerated efforts post-2024 election.


Critics of the investigation, including former Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Rep. Ilhan Omar, have been accused of being racially driven and Islamophobic, with no recognition of the possibility of fraud to have taken place. Many Minnesotans now are calling for their resignation.


Trump Administration's Response: New Regulations and Crackdowns

Under President Donald Trump's second term, which began in January 2025, the administration has moved swiftly to address such vulnerabilities. The U.S. Treasury Department announced plans in early January 2026 to heighten scrutiny on overseas money transfers, requiring enhanced documentation for large cash declarations without impeding legitimate transactions. This includes stricter FinCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network) reporting thresholds and AI-driven monitoring at airports.


Additionally, Trump has called for mass arrests within the Somali community linked to the "cash scandal," intensifying federal crackdowns both domestically and abroad. Funding to Somalia has been frozen, part of broader withdrawals from 66 international programs deemed contrary to U.S. interests. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has cut off federal funds to Minnesota programs—potentially risking $18 billion—until fraud is eradicated, with officials stating, "We are not going to spend money on Minnesota until we’re confident there is no fraud."


Executive orders issued in early 2026 further empower sanctions and investment security measures, including expanded authorities over supply chains and foreign remittances. These steps aim to curtail illicit outflows, with potential new airport-specific protocols, such as mandatory secondary screenings for high-risk routes, expected in coming months.

As investigations unfold, the MSP cash saga underscores ongoing debates over immigration, fraud prevention, and fiscal accountability. Officials emphasize that while the majority of Somali-Americans are law-abiding, targeted enforcement is essential to safeguard U.S. resources.

Where was all the cash going?
Where was all the cash going?

Sources:

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