A Minneapolis daycare tied to a sweeping federal fraud investigation was found sitting empty on Wednesday, one day after FBI agents raided the site along with roughly 20 other locations as part of a massive probe into alleged abuse of social services programs in Minnesota, the NY Post reports.

The facility, known as the “Quality Learing Center,” appeared deserted, with its original misspelled signage removed and replaced by a notice alerting passersby that the premises are under video surveillance.

The structure itself has also undergone visible changes. Once painted a light green shade, the exterior has since been redone in a muted blue tone. Newly posted “no trespassing” signs now flank the entrance, signaling that the property is no longer in operation.

Items scattered around the site added to the sense of abandonment. Striped hula hoops were seen discarded in a dumpster, while a lone stroller sat unused in the parking lot.

A security guard stationed nearby said he had never observed children entering or exiting the building and noted that, according to information he received, the center had shut down earlier this year.

“It’s been deserted for three years from what I found out from management. It’s interesting,” he told The NY Post.

“I wasn’t even sure what was there.”

Questions about the legitimacy of the center first surfaced in December after a video posted by YouTuber Nick Shirley suggested the location was inactive at the time.

A nearby resident echoed those concerns, saying they had not seen any children at the site until reporters began asking questions, at which point activity at the facility suddenly increased.

“That parking lot is empty all the time, and I was under the impression that place is permanently closed,” they said.

Looking through the glass entrance revealed little indication of regular operations, with only a grimy tile floor visible and boxes piled randomly in a hallway and near what appeared to be a front desk.

Federal authorities executed the raid on Tuesday as part of a broader investigation into suspected fraud involving social services funds, with the Trump administration estimating potential losses in Minnesota alone could reach $19 billion.

Prosecutors have already brought charges in related schemes. Since September, seven individuals have been indicted for allegedly enlisting members of the Somali community to sign up children for nonexistent autism services, generating approximately $14 million in fraudulent payments.

In a separate but related case, at least 65 defendants have been charged in the so-called Feeding Our Future scandal, which allegedly siphoned off roughly $250 million in taxpayer funds. Numerous defendants have entered guilty pleas in that case, which federal prosecutors began pursuing during the Biden administration.

{Matzav.com}