BONUS POD: Now Playing-The Case of California's Disappearing Billions
Verdict with Ted Cruz
Premiere Networks
4.6 • 43.4K Ratings
🗓️ 12 February 2026
⏱️ 12 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
1. Large-Scale Individual Fraud Example
- A Los Angeles contractor, Alexander Suker, is accused of stealing $23 million intended to feed and house homeless individuals.
- Funds were allegedly used for luxury homes, cars, vacations, designer goods, and private schools, instead of homeless services.
2. Failure to Deliver Promised Services
- Suker was contracted to provide three meals per day to up to 600 homeless people.
- Inspections reportedly found only canned beans and ramen noodles, contradicting billing claims.
- Prosecutors allege the use of fake vendors, falsified facilities, and false service records.
3. Broader Pattern of Fraud in California
- Federal authorities indicate at least 12 additional similar cases under investigation.
- A U.S. Attorney stated that large sums were pushed out quickly with minimal vetting or checks and balances.
4. Comparison to Other State Scandals
- Investigators and commentators compare California’s situation to Minnesota’s Feeding Our Future fraud, claiming California’s fraud may be larger in scale.
- Independent investigator Nick Shirley claims billions of dollars may be involved statewide.
5. Alleged Billions in Unaccounted Public Funds
- $70 billion in taxpayer funds missing or unaccounted for
- $24 billion spent on allegedly nonexistent homelessness programs
- $18 billion on nonfunctional high-speed rail
- $32 billion in stolen COVID relief funds
- $2.5 billion lost to SNAP fraud
6. Political and Structural Implications
- California leadership is accused of enabling fraud by prioritizing rapid spending over accountability.
- Calls are made for whistleblower lawsuits as a tool to recover funds.
- Critics argue that higher taxes are being proposed despite massive losses.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is an I-Heart podcast. |
| 0:02.5 | Guaranteed Human. |
| 0:04.8 | We love clean, beautiful call, don't we, Doug? |
| 0:08.0 | I'm thrilled to welcome to the White House, the men and women who light our cities. |
| 0:14.8 | And, you know, you do things that people don't even understand this so much. |
| 0:18.9 | You do so much. |
| 0:20.0 | You heat our homes, fuel our factories, |
| 0:22.9 | and turn natural resources into American riches and dreams. Our amazing coal miners, |
| 0:28.9 | thank you very much, fellas. That's great. You're listening to the 47 morning update with |
| 0:35.0 | Ben Ferguson. Good Thursday morning. Nice to have you with us on the 47 morning update, and we've got one major story for you. |
| 0:41.9 | If you thought the fraud that was found in Minnesota is bad, apparently we've seen nothing yet. |
| 0:47.8 | Take a look at California, and it's truly unbelievable what they're finding out there. |
| 0:53.4 | But first, I want to tell you about our friends over Patriot Mobile. |
| 0:56.3 | Every so often, something happens that reminds us just how fragile our freedoms are. |
| 1:01.4 | We can't afford to take our rights for granted. |
| 1:04.3 | We must draw a line in the sand. |
| 1:06.6 | And our friends at Patriot Mobile have been doing just that for more than 12 years. |
| 1:12.0 | The truth is there is only one provider that boldly stands in the gap for Americans |
| 1:17.2 | who believe freedom is worth fighting for, and that company is Patriot Mobile. |
| 1:21.7 | Not only are they leading the red economy. |
| 1:24.2 | They're also outpacing the competition and technology. |
| 1:28.1 | Patriot Mobile is one of the only carriers offering premium access to all three major U.S. |
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