Columbus, Ohio — An Ohio Republican lawmaker is calling for an investigation into publicly funded child care facilities, citing a multimillion-dollar fraud scandal in Minnesota as evidence that similar abuses may be occurring in Ohio.
Rep. Josh Williams, R–Sylvania Township, said allegations that child care providers billed Minnesota for children who were not actually attending should prompt immediate scrutiny of Ohio’s system, particularly in the Columbus area. In a public statement, Williams argued that fraud uncovered in Minnesota is “almost certainly occurring” in Ohio and urged state officials to act before losses grow.
Williams drafted a letter, signed by 42 Ohio lawmakers, asking the Ohio Department of Children and Youth to conduct more unannounced inspections of child care centers receiving public funds. The lawmakers also want audits of attendance records and billing submissions, suspension of payments to facilities where probable fraud is identified, referrals to prosecutors in substantiated cases, and formal notification to the Legislature about the findings.
The push follows heightened national attention on Minnesota, where federal officials froze roughly $185 million in annual child care funding after investigators alleged widespread fraud across multiple social service programs. Those allegations, some of which remain under investigation, have been politically charged and controversial, particularly where claims intersect with immigration and ethnicity.
Ohio received more than $800 million in federal child care funding in fiscal year 2024 and spends roughly $1.1 billion annually on such services. Williams and his colleagues say safeguarding taxpayer dollars and maintaining public confidence require aggressive oversight, including surprise inspections and tougher enforcement.
The Ohio Department of Children and Youth did not respond to a request for comment.
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