Independent investigative journalist Nick Shirley is earning widespread praise from conservatives after releasing a series of undercover investigations targeting alleged taxpayer-funded fraud, prompting many to ask why independent reporters armed with little more than a camera are uncovering stories that major media organizations have largely ignored.
Shirley first gained national attention for his reporting in Minnesota, where he investigated allegations involving federally funded childcare programs. He has since expanded his work to New York City, where he has turned his focus to alleged fraud involving adult social day care centers and pharmacies.
During a recent appearance on Fox News Channel’s *The Big Weekend Show*, Shirley discussed what motivated him to pursue investigations that many believe have received little attention from legacy media outlets.
One of the show’s co-hosts praised the young journalist for accomplishing what large news organizations—with extensive investigative staffs and multimillion-dollar budgets—had not.
“All of these major news organizations have hundreds, if not thousands, of reporters and investigative journalists,” the host said. “Here you are, essentially a citizen journalist with a cellphone, uncovering stories in Minnesota, New York, California, and elsewhere. It’s truly remarkable.”
The host also noted that Shirley began making an impact while still in his early twenties, asking what inspired him to pursue investigative journalism.
Shirley said his motivation came from witnessing what he believed were serious national problems that were receiving inadequate scrutiny.
“I started seeing what was happening in our country—from the border to the fentanyl crisis to election issues—and eventually I learned about the fraud,” Shirley explained. “I kept asking myself, ‘Why aren’t people reporting on this?'”
According to Shirley, his investigations have never been driven by partisan politics.
“It’s not even right or left,” he said. “It’s what’s wrong and what’s right.”
He added that he became increasingly concerned after encountering allegations of large-scale fraud involving government-funded programs while, at the same time, watching stories involving border security and human trafficking receive what he viewed as insufficient investigative attention.
“I was just reporting what I saw,” Shirley said. “I’m not trying to paint a narrative. I’m simply showing people what’s actually happening.”
His latest investigation has focused on Flushing, Queens, where Shirley alleges significant fraud involving adult social day care centers and pharmacies participating in publicly funded healthcare programs.
In a nearly hour-long documentary published on YouTube, Shirley claims his investigation uncovered evidence suggesting approximately $190 million in suspected fraudulent activity centered around facilities serving portions of New York City’s Korean and Chinese communities. Those allegations have not been adjudicated in court.
The documentary shows Shirley visiting multiple adult day care centers while posing as someone seeking services for a family member. During those visits, he questioned employees about operations and financial practices while documenting what he believed were irregularities.
The investigation has attracted the attention of federal officials.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, later joined Shirley to discuss healthcare fraud and the challenges investigators face combating increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.
“The big issue with these centers is not that they are providing social adult daycare,” Oz said. “It’s that it’s a clubhouse for criminals.”
Oz also acknowledged that law enforcement agencies often struggle to keep pace with rapidly evolving fraud schemes that can cost taxpayers millions—or even billions—of dollars each year.
For many conservatives, Shirley’s work highlights a growing shift in modern journalism.
Rather than relying exclusively on large corporate newsrooms, independent reporters are increasingly using social media and online platforms to pursue investigations that might otherwise receive little public attention. Supporters argue this has created new opportunities to expose waste, fraud, and abuse without the editorial constraints often associated with traditional media.
Whether every allegation in Shirley’s investigations ultimately withstands legal scrutiny remains to be seen. However, his reporting has undeniably intensified public attention on potential abuses within government-funded programs and has contributed to renewed calls for stronger oversight of taxpayer dollars.
As federal agencies continue reviewing fraud allegations, Shirley’s investigations have established him as one of the country’s most prominent independent investigative journalists—and a reminder that, in today’s media landscape, some of the biggest stories are increasingly being uncovered outside the traditional press.
