New Fraud Suspects Include Duo Charged in Alleged $46 Million Autism Scheme

In this Alpha News article, Luke Sprinkel reports that federal authorities have announced criminal charges against 15 people accused of defrauding government programs in Minnesota, including a major alleged Medicaid autism-services scheme.

• Federal prosecutors announced charges against 15 defendants tied to alleged fraud in Minnesota government programs, continuing what officials described as a broader fraud crackdown.
• The most prominent case involves Shamso Ahmed Hassan and Hanaan Mursal Yusuf of Brooklyn Park, who were indicted in an alleged $46.6 million scheme involving Minnesota Medicaid’s Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention program.
• According to the DOJ, roughly $21.2 million was paid out in the alleged autism-services fraud scheme.
• Federal officials said Hassan was connected to Star Autism Center and Smart Therapy Center, while Yusuf reportedly worked for Smart Therapy Center.
• Prosecutors allege the defendants paid kickbacks to families to send children to the centers so Medicaid could be billed for services that were allegedly not provided or not reimbursable.
• Eight of the 15 indictments involved Minnesota’s now-shuttered Housing Stabilization Services program, which officials had previously deemed high-risk for fraud.
• Other defendants were accused of schemes involving Individualized Home Supports, Integrated Community Supports, child care assistance, and federal Child Nutrition Program funds connected to the Feeding Our Future scandal.
• The article notes that some of the new suspects are from Pennsylvania, echoing prior concerns about “fraud tourism” in Minnesota’s welfare and Medicaid programs.
• A senior DOJ official said at the press conference that the latest charges are only the “beginning” of federal work in Minnesota.

Read the full story: https://alphanews.org/new-fraud-suspects-include-duo-charged-in-alleged-46-million-autism-scheme/