ST. PAUL, MN – In a press release from earlier in May, Homeland Security announced the arrests of two Minnesotans allegedly involved in a massive healthcare fraud scheme that defrauded the government and American taxpayers of over $21 million in bogus autism-related services and therapies.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) announced the arrests of 55-year-old Shamso Ahmed Hassan and 25-year-old Hanaan Mursal Yusuf on May 21st, highlighting the two have been collectively charged with eight counts of healthcare fraud, two counts of money laundering, and conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud.
According to authorities, Hassan was the “beneficial owner” of two autism-related service providers out of Minnesota, Smart Therapy Center LLC out of Minneapolis and Star Autism Center LLC out of Saint Cloud. Charging documents allege Hassan as the beneficial owner, alongside Yusuf who acted as an employee engaged in the alleged fraud, attempted to defraud government healthcare reimbursement programs of $46.6 million to which they were reimbursed $21.2 million.
The two LLCs outlined in charging documents were nothing more than a vehicle to line the pockets of Hassan and her coconspirators and extended family, authorities claim, while Hassan and Yusuf allegedly “paid kickbacks to families to incentivize them to send their children” to the two centers operated by Hassan.
From May of 2020 through December of 2024, the two defendants allegedly worked to enroll as many youths they could muster into the service centers to performatively render “services that were medically unnecessary, not actually provided, not eligible for reimbursement, and procured through illegal kickbacks,” according to the indictment.
Hassan and Yusuf’s arrest is connected to an ongoing investigation into purported Medicaid fraud occurring throughout Minnesota, which the first indictment connected to raids carried out at the abovementioned LLCs in late 2024 transpired this past September with 28-year-old Asha Farhan Hassan being charged with wire fraud.
Homeland Security Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis issued a statement following the announced arrests of Hassan and Yusuf, saying, “These Minnesota residents have been accused of stealing more than $21 million from the American taxpayer. They now face charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, eight counts of health care fraud, and two counts of money laundering. Their Medicaid fraud scheme started during the COVID pandemic and lasted for four years. ICE continues to zero in on the rampant fraud in Minnesota. Under Secretary Mullin, we will end the defrauding of the American people.”
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