Anthony Gockowski

Former Alpha News reporter looks back at breaking the Ilhan Omar scandal in 2016 Ten years ago, Preya Samsundar was working at Alpha News when she began investigating allegations that U.S. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar married her brother. Ten years have passed and an official investigation is now finally underway. However, Samsundar — who was one of the first to break the scandal — remains the only reporter to ever receive a response from Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, the man at the center of the story. Samsundar joined Liz Collin on her podcast to talk about the striking differences — and strange similarities — between then and now along with some of the other controversies surrounding Omar. "I believe that the reporting that we did 10 years ago was really the loose thread that once authorities started pulling on it, things started to unravel and folks realized that this was probably much bigger than anyone would have imagined,” said Samsundar.

Minnesota students poised to lose out on hundreds of millions as Klobuchar stays quiet DFL Gov. Tim Walz has said he will not enroll Minnesota in a federal program that could provide hundreds of millions of dollars to Minnesota students. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the DFL's nominee for governor, has not said where she stands on the issue.

WEEKLY UPDATE: Ilhan Omar replies ‘not to my knowledge’ when asked if she married her brother, fraud finder David Hoch issues a dire warning as the elections loom, and the Alpha News 2026 election guide is now available.

UPDATE: Just six Democratic members of the Minnesota Senate have signed a statement condemning the upcoming Hasan Piker event and calling for its cancellation. Four of the senators who signed the statement are retiring. Notably, swing-district Democrats running for reelection, such as Judy Seeberger, Aric Putnam, Grant Hauschild and Rob Kupec, did not sign the statement. Putnam and Seeberger both endorsed the Minneapolis mayoral campaign of far-left state Sen. Omar Fateh, a co-host of the Piker event.

Jewish leaders blast Omar, Fateh for event with streamer Hasan Piker who said 'America deserved 9/11' Minnesota Democrats are facing growing backlash over an upcoming Minneapolis event featuring Rep. Ilhan Omar, state Sen. Omar Fateh and controversial left-wing streamer Hasan Piker, whose inflammatory statements about Jews and Israel — and his declaration that "America deserved 9/11" — have drawn condemnation from Jewish organizations and some members of the Democratic Party itself. "The silence from too many other state DFL leaders is deafening," the Jewish Community Relations Council said. "Jewish Minnesotans hear that silence, and it further erodes their trust."

DFL candidate in swing seat backed climate ‘Superfund’ bill that would cost billions Sen. Rob Kupec, a Moorhead-area DFL candidate, is facing what could be a tough reelection fight against Republican Austin Peterson.

Michele Tafoya to Peggy Flanagan: "This historic fraud happened under her watch and suddenly she's looking out for Medicaid and SNAP? Sell it to someone else, Peggy."

DSA-backed state lawmaker hosting Minneapolis event with far-left streamer Hasan Piker, Ilhan Omar Minnesota GOP Chairman Alex Plechash called on Sen. Amy Klobuchar to rescind her endorsement of Rep. Ilhan Omar after the event with Hasan Piker was announced. “Nearly 3,000 Americans were murdered on September 11th. Their families still visit the graves, and Minnesota’s first responders still carry the memory,” Plechash said in a press statement. “Hasan Piker said America deserved it. Ilhan Omar is going to share a stage with him eight days before the election. And Amy Klobuchar’s endorsement is still featured on Ilhan Omar’s campaign website today.”

DFL candidate under fire for allegedly bragging about wealth, calling another person 'poor and dumb' Aaron Schweiger, a DFL candidate running for a toss-up seat in the Minnesota House, allegedly made the comments on Facebook.

WEEKLY UPDATE: Sheikhdoon Mohamud is charged with plotting a mass casualty attack at the Mall of America, U.S. Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan V. Gould convenes a roundtable in Minneapolis to help combat fraud, and Ramsey County Undersheriff Mike Martin speaks out on the fight against Somali gangs.

Former Mayor Frey aide sentenced in Feeding Our Future scandal "Abdi Nur Salah and his co-conspirators used taxpayer money meant to support hungry children to buy themselves a life of luxury," an FBI official said.

WEEKLY UPDATE: The US Department of Justice indicts 10 foreign nationals for voter fraud, Minnesota ranks No. 1 per capita in subjects tied to healthcare fraud, and a major win for election integrity in Oak Grove.

Senate rematch in northern Minnesota pits Republican mayor against DFL incumbent DFL state Sen. Grant Hauschild has voted for some of the most extreme elements of the DFL's agenda, including unlimited abortion, driver's licenses for illegals, and a sweeping gun control bill.

Medicaid director at fraud-plagued agency hosting high-dollar fundraiser for Peggy Flanagan As Minnesota’s Department of Human Services struggles to contain a sweeping fraud crisis involving taxpayer-funded programs, one of the state’s top Medicaid officials has another undertaking on his calendar: helping raise campaign cash for Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. This comes after a former employee accused one of Flanagan's personal friends of operating a "fraudulent" autism center.

BREAKING: St. Paul police chief sues Mayor Kaohly Her, alleges sexual harassment and retaliation The lawsuit alleges Her twice touched Chief Axel Henry's upper thigh, referred to herself as a "MILF," made sexually suggestive remarks and created altered photos depicting police officials shirtless with "prominent bulges" in their crotch areas. "Chief Henry knew that if he altered a photograph to place a woman’s image, let alone the Mayor of St. Paul, to replace the face of a female bodybuilder wearing a bikini, he would be immediately terminated," the complaint states.

EXCLUSIVE: Former employee says exec at center of fraud probe put picture of himself on wall with Obama, Oprah A former Metro Care employee is raising new allegations as Minnesota moves to cut off Medicaid payments to Arnold Kubei's remaining healthcare operations.

WEEKLY UPDATE: Taxpayers spent $500K+ on security for Mary Moriarty, new election polls boost Republican candidates, and a former therapist slams “fraudulent” Minnesota autism centers — including one run by a "friend" of Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.

EXCLUSIVE: Former therapist slams 'fraudulent autism centers' in Minnesota, including one run by Flanagan's 'friend' Peggy Flanagan said she's been "friends for almost 25 years" with Nimco Ahmed. Now, DHS confirms an autism center operated by Ahmed is under investigation as a former employee of the center accuses it of being "fraudulent." Ahmed denied the allegations and told Alpha News that even asking questions about the care at her autism center was "bias." "I actually have an email conversation from 2023 stating that I did not believe their clients appeared to be autistic, and I also have a text message conversation from around that time telling someone that I was planning to leave that center because I had concerns related to fraud and that the owner, Nimco, didn't seem to care," said Grant Morgan, who used to work at Ahmed’s center.

BREAKING: Republican Ron Schutz leads Democrat Keith Ellison in the race for Minnesota attorney general, according to a new KSTP/Survey USA poll. 🔴 Ron Schutz: 45% 🔵 Keith Ellison: 43% State auditor race: 🔴 Scott Jensen: 43% 🔵 Zack Filipovich: 36% Secretary of state race: 🔴 Tad Jude: 36% 🔵 Steve Simon: 40%

BREAKING: A new KSTP/Survey USA poll has Republican Michele Tafoya and Democrat Peggy Flanagan tied at 42% each in the race for U.S. Senate in Minnesota.