The massive Somali fraud in Minnesota has rightfully dominated headlines, as billions of dollars of taxpayer dollars were allegedly scammed by hustlers who used federal and state nutrition, healthcare, and even transportation dollars for their own benefit.

The elephant in the room has been California, however, as many observers believe fraud in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s state exists on a much larger scale. The Trump administration has vowed that they’re coming for a crackdown.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr posted to social media on Tuesday about some Golden State games that an Inspector General advisory has already uncovered. California wasn’t the only state caught up in the scam, but it was the worst offender:

If the government is going to spend your hard earned dollars, it must ensure that they go only to living and lawful Americans.

Seems obvious, but …

1. A new Inspector General advisory found that providers took nearly $5 million in federal dollars to provide phone and… pic.twitter.com/GUTe7hjrA4

— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) January 27, 2026

1. A new Inspector General advisory found that providers took nearly $5 million in federal dollars to provide phone and Internet service to over 116,000 dead people.  And this IG advisory looked at just three states.

The chairman wasn’t done, and specifically namechecked the elegantly coiffed gov. who has been taking increasing heat from the administration (see: Scott Bessent torching “Sparkle Beach Ken”):

2. Gavin Newsom’s California was by far the worst offender of these opt-out states.  On Governor Newsom’s watch, California allowed over 94,000 dead people to be used to obtain federal dollars for phone and Internet service.  The FCC recently revoked California’s authority to run its own verification process.

THE FRADULENT STATE? LA Man Charged With Embezzling Millions Meant to Provide Meals for Homeless, Gave Them Ramen Instead

Trump to California, Newsom: You're 'More Corrupt Than Minnesota,' and We're Coming for You

The fraudsters took advantage of a program to help people stay connected:

The state took in $3.8 million between 2020 and 2025 through the federal Lifeline program, which spends nearly $1 billion annually to subsidize phone and internet service for low-income Americans, according to the FCC’s inspector general.

Of the three states named in the report, California collected the most money by a long shot — accounting for more than 80% of the payments, the report said.

?New Inspector General Advisory shows millions of dollars approved by California to provide phone and Internet service to more than 94,000 dead people. pic.twitter.com/Jn3m40VBGC

— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) January 27, 2026

The money was supposed to help low-income folks, but it won’t help them much, because a lot of them are no longer breathing:

Of the 116,808 deceased individuals in opt-out states, roughly two-thirds (77,446) were enrolled after their deaths, the report stated.

A further 19% (22,588) may have died before enrollment, while 15% (16,774) were confirmed dead prior to being claimed. The FCC said this clearly demonstrates “fraudulent conduct” involving enrollments of individuals who had already died.

One reason the upcoming midterms are so important is that if the Democrats take power in the House and Senate, you can expect reports like this to be filed in a cave somewhere, and states like California and Minnesota — and leaders like Newsom and MN Gov. Tim Walz — will continue to allow massive fraud to run rampant.

In the meantime, there’s a whole lot more fraud just waiting to be exposed in the Golden State. 

Editor’s Note: Gavin Newsom wants to turn America into one big version of California - a failed, overtaxed, dystopian nightmare.

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