YouTuber Nick Shirley said Wednesday that he has reportedly been warned repeatedly he could be assassinated following the release of his viral investigation into alleged Somali-linked fraud in Minnesota, telling the “PBD Podcast” that the threats have shaken his family and dramatically altered his daily life.
Shirley’s comments came after a video he posted Friday showing multiple Minnesota daycare centers, described as Somali-run, that appeared to be operating without children despite reportedly receiving large sums of taxpayer money. In one case highlighted in the video, a daycare center allegedly obtained $4 million in public funds while appearing inactive.
On the podcast, Shirley said the reaction to his reporting has gone far beyond criticism. “They’re saying, ‘You’re going to be Kirked … you’ll be the next Kirk,’” he said, referencing the killing of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. “And it’s just like, are you kidding me? I hate what’s happening right now.”
Shirley said his family has been dragged into the controversy despite having nothing to do with his reporting. He said relatives have been contacted by media outlets and that his sister has received calls, which he found deeply disturbing. “I feel bad for my family, honestly, because we didn’t do anything wrong,” he said. “You guys are coming after me like I’m some sort of villain.”
He added that foreign media outlets went even further. “Some news in India, they doxed my home. They doxed my dad,” Shirley said, explaining that he has not even told his father about it because he did not want to worry him. “It was really weird.”
Shirley said the threats have felt personal and aggressive, especially considering he views his work as exposing fraud, not advancing a political agenda. “Why are you guys coming after somebody for going against fraud?” he asked. “I didn’t make this a right or left issue. I just showed you guys that fraud was happening.”
In his viral video, Shirley also said his team was followed while documenting daycare locations. Before describing being trailed, Shirley visited Sweet Angel Child daycare, where he said he encountered individuals he described as alleged Somali fraudsters. That visit turned tense as people confronted him outside the facility, disputed his questions, and declined to give clear answers about enrollment or operations.
Adding context to the allegations, a resurfaced 2018 Fox 9 surveillance video shows what investigators have described as Somali scammers allegedly cheating Minnesota out of funds for services never provided. The footage, recorded in 2015, showed parents dropping off children at a daycare center and then picking them up shortly afterward, according to Fox News.
Shirley’s fears are heightened by the fate of Charlie Kirk. Kirk’s suspected assassin, Tyler Robinson, was reportedly in a relationship with a trans-identifying male named Lance Twiggs. According to Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray, Robinson’s parents told authorities that he had become increasingly “pro-gay and trans-rights oriented” before the attack. Robinson also allegedly texted Twiggs that he had “had enough of [Kirk’s] hatred.”
Shirley said he never expected that exposing alleged fraud could lead to such threats. “You’re literally stopping at intersections and coming after me and trying to attack me,” he said, describing what he believes is an organized effort to intimidate him into silence.
Despite the pressure, Shirley has maintained that his goal remains simple: shine a light on potential fraud and protect taxpayers. But as he made clear on the podcast, the personal cost of doing so has become frighteningly real.
