I am gobsmacked after reading two Dec. 13 stories, one detailing the alleged Medicaid fraud scandal in autism treatment centers ("FBI raids two state autism centers," front page), the other on Gov. Tim Walz's comments on the issue ("Walz calls for tougher Medicaid fraud penalties as costs rise"). The first article states the Minnesota Department of Human Services began investigating Star Autism in 2022, and goes on to say the DHS referred the case to the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. In the second article, Walz blames state laws as being insufficient to cut off payments before a conviction.