Five people accused of defrauding Minnesota’s Medicaid program out of more than $10 million now face prosecution by Attorney General Keith Ellison.

In charges filed in Hennepin County Wednesday, the state attorney general alleged Medicaid fraudsters provided false documentation, overbilled for services, billed for services they didn’t provide and diverted funds for personal use.

Minnesota distributes the federal money for home care and transportation services to people with low incomes.

In one case, three are accused of stealing more than $9 million from the program. Two of the three — Abdifatah Yusuf and Lul Ahmed — allegedly took $7.2 million and spent it on luxury items rather than their home and community health provider Promise Health Services.

“Yusuf and co-defendant Ahmed frequently used the money stolen from the Medicaid program to fund a lavish lifestyle, including directing over $1 million from the Promise business account into Yusuf’s personal account and withdrawing over $387,000 in cash,” Ellison’s office said in a news release.

Luxury goods

Further, authorities say the defendants bought furniture for the company despite it lacking a physical address, spent $42,000 at luxury automotive dealers, and $80,000 at clothing stores including “Coach, Canada Goose, Michael Kors, Third Degree Heat, Nike, and Nordstrom.”

Yusuf is charged with one count of racketeering and six counts of felony aiding and abetting theft by swindle. Ahmed is charged with two felony counts of aiding and abetting theft by swindle. The case is connected to an investigation announced by Ellison in December that led to three being charged with $11 million in Medicaid fraud.

“Minnesotans who rely on Medical Assistance have a right to expect they’ll receive all the care, dignity, and respect they’re entitled to,” Ellison said. “Minnesotans trying to afford their lives have a right to expect that every one of their tax dollars will be spent properly and legally.”

Other cases

In a case stemming from the same investigation, Abdiweli Mohamud allegedly took more than $1.8 million in Medicaid funds for services ineligible for payment through his business Minnesota Home Health Care. He’s charged with one count of racketeering and six counts of felony aiding and abetting theft by swindle.

In separate cases, Charles Omato and LaTonia Jackson are accused of defrauding Minnesota Medicaid out of $1.4 million in transportation services they never provided through their company, Driving Miss Daisy.

The five accused in the cases did not have attorneys listed in court documents on Wednesday, and they could not immediately be reached for comment.

Related Articles

Charges: Off-duty St. Paul officer detains tip-jar thief while dad calls 911 during Father’s Day steakhouse dinner

Rosemount teen sentenced to juvenile facility for throwing punch at Harriet Island that killed Vietnam vet

‘Legendary’ Twin Cities defense attorney Joe Friedberg dies at 87

Appeals court sides with city over planned demolition of Hamline-Midway Library

Woman sentenced to 15 years for role in St. Paul New Year’s Eve shooting that critically injured boy, 10