(NewsNation) — A whistleblower of the alleged fraud scandal in Minnesota says she had raised concerns almost eight years ago with her superiors but was ignored.
“I saw just extreme sloppiness, messiness in our contracting processes,” Faye Bernstein told “CUOMO” in a Tuesday appearance. “And most importantly, when I naively started speaking about it, the reaction from leadership within the Department of Human Services was very quick and very swift.”
The state of Minnesota has continued to deal with the fallout as the federal government has cracked down on the alleged fraud that has plagued the state.
Last month, conservative influencer Nick Shirley’s viral video caught the attention of the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI. Shirley has claimed he uncovered $110 million in fraudulent payments, intensifying scrutiny of the state’s oversight of public assistance programs.
Bernstein, who worked for the Minnesota Department of Human Services, says she had her credentials revoked and was banned from the department’s building for speaking up.
“It’s the kind of thing that sends such a chill to everyone who saw me walk down that very long hallway, being escorted out,” she added. “Anyone who sees that would never want to speak up again.”
“And additionally, not only was the retaliation so swift, but the rewards for people who do the retaliation is also swift. I was told by my direct supervisor that he would get a promotion if he stifled me. And guess what, he got a...
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