Autism and therapy centres ‘defraud health benefit programme of £16m | US | News
Two members of the public have been charged with healthcare fraud after allegedly pocketing $21m (£15.6m) of taxpayers’ money. Minnesota residents Shamso Ahmed Hassan and Hanaan Mursal Yusuf were arrested May 21 on charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, eight counts of health care fraud and two counts of money laundering.
A statement released by the Department of Homeland Security confirmed the arrests were made on two Minnesota residents. An ongoing investigation revealed that Hassan was the owner of Smart Therapy Center and Star Autism Center. She was also enrolled as a provider in the Minnesota Early Intensive Development and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) Program.
Hassan is also listed as an employee and billing agent for Intelligent Therapy Center and was responsible for submitting claims to Medicaid. The couple is said to have run a scheme to defraud health care benefit programs for a total cost of $21.1 million.
The couple’s money was obtained by submitting false and fraudulent claims to Medicaid between May 2020 and December 2024.
Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said: “These Minnesota residents are accused of stealing more than $21 million from American taxpayers. They now face charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, EIGHT health care fraud, and TWO money laundering charges.”
“Medicaid fraud schemes began during the COVID pandemic and have continued for four years. ICE continues to focus on widespread fraud in Minnesota. We will stop defrauding the American people,” Under Secretary Mullin said.
Both women will be detained until judicial proceedings. Department of Homeland Security confirmed. Hassan’s involvement in the Medicaid fraud case is one of 15 criminal charges announced by the Justice Department earlier this week.
The charges involve seven different state-run Medicaid programs that were “systematically stolen by fraudsters who treated Minnesota-run programs as personal piggy banks,” according to Colin McDonald, assistant attorney general for the national anti-fraud division.
McDonald said law enforcement is working to take the suspects into custody. CBS News reported. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Thursday’s charges represent “the largest autism fraud bust in American history.”
