False Child Actor Ad Revealed as Prank Amid Minnesota Daycare Fraud Investigation

A Craigslist advertisement seeking child actors to pose as attendees at a Minneapolis daycare center has been confirmed as a hoax, despite viral social media posts claiming it as evidence of fraud schemes under investigation by the Trump administration.

The advertisement, which briefly appeared in Hennepin County’s general labor jobs section on January 1, sought 20 child actors who would be paid $1,500 per day for three days to pose as attendees during a state vetting process. Screenshots of the ad quickly spread across social media platforms, with users connecting it to ongoing federal investigations into alleged fraud at daycare centers operated by Somali residents in Minnesota.

Joey LaFleur, cohost of an online comedy series called Goofcon1, confirmed to The Associated Press that the ad was created as bait for an upcoming prank show. “The show’s called Goofcon1 and it is a funny show,” LaFleur said. “We do pranks and stuff like that.” He noted that the show received numerous responses to the ad and plans to call interested parties during an upcoming live broadcast.

Despite the creator’s confirmation that the ad was a hoax, social media posts featuring screenshots continued to gain traction. One post on X (formerly Twitter) declared: “BREAKING – A Craigslist ad seeking child actors for a daycare in Minneapolis’ Hennepin County has been discovered, with the poster requesting 20 children to act as clients while the state observes them to determine whether it’s a legitimate daycare.” The post received thousands of likes and shares.

On TikTok, a video describing the ad as “100% serious” garnered over 14,000 views, further spreading the misinformation. LaFleur explained that beyond producing pranks, Goofcon1 aims to protect against predators and highlight how some conservative accounts share information without proper fact-checking.

The false claims come amid heightened attention to daycare fraud investigations in Minnesota. The Trump administration has been investigating alleged fraud schemes at Minnesota daycare centers operated by Somali residents, though no connection exists between these investigations and the fake advertisement.

The political implications of these investigations became apparent when Minnesota Governor Tim Walz recently ended his bid for a third term, a decision that came as former President Donald Trump repeatedly highlighted the fraud investigations. Concurrently, the Trump administration announced plans to implement stricter regulations for federal child care funds.

The rapid spread of the false claims demonstrates how quickly misinformation can gain momentum on social media, particularly when it aligns with existing narratives or ongoing controversies. Without proper verification, content like the prank Craigslist ad can be weaponized to support unrelated allegations.

Fact-checking organizations, including The Associated Press, regularly investigate such claims to separate fact from fiction. This incident underscores the importance of verifying information before sharing it, especially when it appears to confirm preexisting beliefs or targets specific communities.

The actual investigation into daycare fraud in Minnesota remains a separate matter from this fabricated advertisement, and authorities continue their work independent of the social media controversy surrounding the fake Craigslist post.