Dec. 30 (UPI) -- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officials have frozen federal child care funding to Minnesota amid accusations of fraud in that state and others.

The Health and Human Services Department said Tuesday that it had paused its child care payments to Minnesota, days after the posting of a widely circulated video that added new accusations to a fraud scandal in the state’s social services programs and led conservatives to call for a government crackdown.

Federal agency freezes Minnesota child care payments amid alleged fraud involving daycare centers in ongoing federal investigation.

The pause affects a funding stream that provides $185 million in annual aid to the state’s day care centers, as federal investigations into fraud in Minnesota’s social services programs continue.

The pause affects a funding stream that provides $185 million in annual aid to the state’s day care centers, as federal investigations into fraud in Minnesota’s social services programs continue.

Federal agency freezes Minnesota child care payments amid alleged fraud involving daycare centers in ongoing federal investigation.

Federal agency freezes Minnesota child care payments amid alleged fraud involving daycare centers in ongoing federal investigation.

Federal officials halted child care payments to Minnesota, ordered audits and stricter documentation, and launched a fraud hotline following investigations into alleged misuse of billions in taxpayer-funded programmes.