Minnesota Governor Tim Walz may have spent years crafting an image as a man of the people, but recent revelations from his college days paint a far more cunning, rule-bending portrait of the Democratic vice-presidential nominee. According to a former roommate, Walz isnt just a sharp political operatorhes also a master of bending the rules at two of Americas most beloved board games: Monopoly and Scrabble.

In an exclusive interview, this unnamed source, whom well refer to as Greg (because no one named Steve would dare challenge a sitting governor over board game ethics), described Walzs antics in shocking detail. According to Greg, Walzs mastery of underhanded tactics at Monopoly and Scrabble left a trail of broken friendships and frustrated competitors in their college dorm.

Hed talk a big game about fairness and strategy, Greg began, still visibly shaken from years of emotional board game trauma. But once the dice hit the board, it was every man for himselfand Walz would stop at nothing to win.

Monopoly, the ultimate game of wheeling and dealing, may seem like a fitting match for any aspiring politician. However, it appears that Walz took the term capitalist conquest to a whole new level.

Walz was notorious for sneaking extra $500 bills from the bank when no one was looking, Greg revealed. Wed be deep into the game, and suddenly hed have enough money to buy Boardwalk, put a hotel on it, and then somehow manage to weasel his way out of paying rent on my properties. Hed say things like, Lets negotiate, its in everyones best interest. It was infuriating.

Apparently, his smooth-talking ability was unparalleledeven in the cutthroat world of Monopoly. Greg recounts how Walz would convince other players to accept absurd trades, only for them to realize too late that theyd been played.

Hed offer you the Reading Railroad for Marvin Gardens, throw in some free rent for a turn, and suddenly youd be broke while he was sitting pretty with hotels everywhere, Greg lamented. And if you called him out on it? Hed give you this politician smile, like, Im just following the rules. But he made up the rules as he went along.

The scandal doesnt stop with the Monopoly board, either. Greg claims that Walz would often engage in creative interpretation of the games written rulessuch as the infamous Free Parking cash pot, which he insisted was part of the official game.

No one could argue with him, Greg said, shaking his head. Hed have you believing in house rules that dont even exist.

Scrabble may be a game of letters and linguistic finesse, but to Walz, it was just another opportunity to bend the rules in his favor. According to Greg, Walzs Scrabble strategy was built on obscure words, loopholes, andwhen all else failedsheer bluffing.

He always had the best letters, Greg explained. Looking back, Im convinced he was stacking the tile bag or sneaking extra tiles when we werent paying attention. How does someone consistently pull out seven-letter words when the rest of us are struggling with three-letter words like cat?

The real scandal, however, was Walzs uncanny ability to drop obscure words that no one had ever heard of. Hed throw down qiviut without blinking, and when wed challenge him, hed somehow pull out a dictionary from thin air, Greg recounted. It was like he knew wed question him, and he was always ready to prove us wrong.

The worst part? Most of these words were technically validalbeit suspiciously specific. Sure, its a type of Arctic wool, Greg admitted. But how many college kids are playing Scrabble with the word qiviut in their vocabulary? It wasnt fair.

Walzs Scrabble skills eventually earned him the nickname The Word Whisperer among his peers, but not without resentment. Hed find loopholes in the ruleslike placing tiles diagonally, claiming it was some obscure Scrabble rule no one knew about. Hed win the game by a landslide, and wed all sit there dumbfounded.

Greg recalled the fateful day when the final straw was drawn during a game night featuring both Monopoly and Scrabble, which has since gone down in college legend as The Great Betrayal. It was the night that severed Greg and Walzs board game friendship forever.

We were in the middle of a heated Monopoly session, Greg recalled. I had just landed on his hotel-riddled Boardwalk, and there was no way I could afford the rent. Suddenly, Tim starts trying to negotiate his way out of me paying. He wanted me to trade my utilities and skip a turn in exchange for a measly $200 discount. I had enough.

Greg flipped the board, stormed out of the dorm, and vowed never to play Monopoly or Scrabble with Walz again. I realized then that if he cheats at Monopoly, what else would he cheat at? Politics, perhaps?

The burning question remains: Has Tim Walzs rule-bending, money-grabbing behavior in board games seeped into his political life? While his former roommate doesnt make that direct connection, he suggests that anyone willing to manipulate the rules in Monopoly might be willing to do so in other arenas.

Look, I dont want to say Tims a bad guy, Greg said, sipping his coffee thoughtfully. But when you see someone bend the rules to win a game of Monopoly, it does make you wonder about their approach to life and leadership. Maybe thats just the nature of politics, but I think people should know about his board game history.

Gregs comments have sparked debate in political circles. Can a candidates Monopoly strategy really reflect their potential as a leader? Some say yes. Others argue that a little friendly cheating is just part of the fun.

Unsurprisingly, the revelation has sparked a wave of memes, social media debates, and late-night talk show jokes. Twitter erupted with #MonopolyGate, where users debated the ethics of board game cheating in light of a potential vice presidency. If he cheats at Monopoly, hell cheat the system, one user tweeted.

Others were more forgiving. So what if he cheats at Monopoly? a supporter tweeted. Id rather have a savvy politician who knows how to get what he wants than one whos too honest to win.

While the cheating allegations may not be enough to derail Walzs political career, theyve certainly added an interesting layer to his public persona. Whether or not board game ethics matter in the grand scheme of things is up for debate, but one things for sureTim Walz is a formidable opponent, both at the game table and in politics.

As for Greg? Hes moved on from the betrayal, but the memories of Walzs board game treachery still linger. I guess he was always destined for politics, Greg mused. After all, politics is just one big game, and Tims been practicing for years.