Top Trump admin education official exposes blue state financial aid fraud offenders
Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent points to notable levels of fraud in California and Minnesota
By Peter D'Abrosca Fox News
Published January 21, 2026 6:00am EST
EXCLUSIVE: A top Trump administration Education Department official exposed a pair of blue states that he says are among the worst for federal student aid fraud as officials crack down on scammers who are exploiting the taxpayer-funded programs.
In 2025, the Department of Education said it prevented $1 billion of fraud in the aid programs. Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent said these schemes are not only a waste of taxpayer money, but also disproportionately affect low-income students trying to pay for their education.
"We talked about California being certainly a hub of fraud, waste and abuse, but we also see Minnesota, for example," Kent told Fox News Digital. "You know, one of the things that has been brought to light over the course of the last couple of weeks is the enormous amount of fraud, waste and abuse under the governor's leadership there, and this is something that the federal Department of Education had lifted up and highlighted months ago."
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