The Trump administration says it has followed the money, and it did not stay in America.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed that federal investigators uncovered an alleged fraud scheme involving money service businesses in Minnesota that may have been sending U.S. taxpayer funds overseas.

“We have followed the money and identified the money service businesses that may have transferred taxpayer funds overseas,” Bessent said.

According to Bessent, the investigation is already moving forward. “Our team at FinCEN has just provided formal notification to these businesses that they are under investigation,” he added.

FinCEN, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network within the U.S. Department of the Treasury, tracks financial crimes including money laundering, fraud, and illegal transfers. When FinCEN gets involved, it is not for paperwork errors. It is because the numbers do not add up.

The announcement lands as Minnesota continues to face mounting scrutiny over fraud tied to government programs and lax enforcement. Time and again, taxpayers have been told the money is being used to help families and communities, only to later learn it vanished into complex financial networks with little accountability.

From a common sense standpoint, this is not complicated. Taxpayer dollars belong to the American people. They are not a global charity fund. They are not meant to be siphoned off through shadowy financial channels while Americans struggle to afford groceries, gas, and housing.

Under Donald Trump, the administration has made it clear that financial fraud will not be ignored, whether it hides behind bureaucracy, political protection, or so called compassion. This investigation suggests the scales may have been rigged for a long time.

The message from Treasury is simple and overdue. If you stole from the American people, the money trail will find you. And this time, it is not being swept under the rug.