The Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota announced a series of enforcement actions targeting fraud involving taxpayer-funded Medicaid and SNAP programs.
Between Sept. 30, and today, the Fraud Division and the District of Minnesota have charged, convicted, or sentenced 13 defendants whose alleged or proven schemes caused nearly $83 million in intended losses to the federal government, including approximately $29.1 million in fraud uncovered in the newly charged cases. This effort is a result of a partnership between prosecutors from DOJ’s Fraud Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. This year alone, the DOJ has issued over 1,000 subpoenas and executed over 40 premises warrants for the purpose of uncovering fraud in Minnesota.
“Minnesota is the epicenter for fraud in America,” said Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter. “The Trump administration’s crackdown is working, and the results speak for themselves. Through the Minnesota Fraud Task Force we are systematically dismantling schemes preying on Americans. Backed by more than a thousand subpoenas and 40 warrants, the message is simple: No one stealing from taxpayer-funded programs is safe.”
“The alarming concentration of fraud targeting taxpayer-funded programs in Minnesota demands a coordinated and sustained response,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “We are working with our law enforcement partners to uncover alleged fraud, protect public funds, and hold offenders accountable. We will continue these efforts until these schemes are dismantled and taxpayer dollars are protected from abuse in Minnesota.”
“The cases highlighted today represent my office’s unwavering commitment to protect the integrity of taxpayer-funded programs,” said U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen for the District of Minnesota. “These defendants stole money meant for the vulnerable, and they will be brought to justice.”
Photos of law enforcement seizing potential evidence during fraud enforcement operation on Oct. 29.
Charges
Shaakir Mohamud Ibrahim, 54, of Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, was arrested on Sept. 30, after spending nearly 10 months as a fugitive in Kenya. On Sept. 29, Ibrahim was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering in connection with his role in a $1.1 million dollar scheme to defraud the Federal Child Nutrition Program through Feeding Our Future. For four months, Ibrahim and his co-conspirators claimed to be serving more than 3,000 meals to children every day, in the small town of Pelican Rapids, Minnesota through Bilaal Mosque in Pelican Rapids, and another 3,000 meals per day at the Multicultural Resource Center in Moorhead, Minnesota. As part of the scheme, Bilaal and MRC submitted fake meal counts and rosters to Feeding Our Future. After receiving more than $1.1 million in reimbursements through Feeding Our Future, Ibrahim laundered his share of the proceeds through large check payments to himself and his son, as well as the purchase of a property in Kenya and a car. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Minnesota Rebecca E. Kline, Matthew C. Murphy, and Austin L. Bowyer and investigated by FBI, IRS-CI, and USPIS.
Emily Marice Ravits, 74, of Tucson, Arizona, was charged by indictment on Oct. 22, with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make false statements related to health care matters and six counts of false statements relating to heath care matters in connection with a $7.7 million scheme to interfere with the lawful government functions of HHS and CMS in their administration and oversight of Medicaid. As alleged in the indictment, Emily Marice Ravits was a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Qualified Supervising Professional (QSP) in Minnesota. In that role, she agreed to serve as the QSP for multiple providers of autism therapy without actually performing the duties required of QSPs and permitting providers to submit claims for services that were not performed or that were not properly reimbursable and submit false certifications on individual treatment plans to justify the continuation of autism therapy services. As a result, false and fraudulent claims were submitted Medicaid for EIDBI autism therapy by providers for services that were not actually eligible for reimbursement. This case is being jointly prosecuted by the Fraud Division’s Health Care Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota and investigated by FBI, HHS-OIG, and IRS-CI.
Feisal Mohamed Elmi, 46, of New Brighton, Minnesota, was charged by indictment on Oct. 22, with eleven counts of health care fraud, in connection with a $8.2 million scheme to defraud the Minnesota Medicaid EIDBI autism therapy program. As alleged in the indictment, Feisal Mohamed Elmi submitted fraudulent claims to the Minnesota EIDBI program by billing for services that were not rendered and for services purportedly provided by employees while they were traveling and located outside of the United States. In addition, almost every claim was billed at the same amount regardless of the service provided or the number of hours of service provided. This case is being jointly prosecuted by the Fraud Division’s Health Care Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota and investigated by FBI, HHS-OIG, and IRS-CI.
Habiba Mohamed, 58, of Coon Rapids, Minnesota was charged by information on Oct. 29, with conspiracy to defraud the United States in connection with a $19.1 million scheme to defraud the Minnesota Medicaid EIDBI autism therapy program. As alleged in the information, Habiba Mohamed and her co-conspirators (previously charged by indictment) submitted fraudulent claims related to the EIDBI program and she, personally, paid kickbacks to the parents of Medicaid recipients in exchange for being able to submit claims for services. This case is being jointly prosecuted by the Fraud Division’s Health Care Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota and investigated by FBI, HHS-OIG, and IRS-CI.
Faiza Osman Ahmed, 41, of Richfield, Minnesota, was charged by indictment on Oct. 28, with six counts of health care fraud in connection with an approximately $10 million scheme to defraud multiple Minnesota Medicaid programs. As alleged in the indictment, Faiza Osman Ahmed submitted fraudulent claims related to the Minnesota Individualized Home Supports, Personal Care Assistance, and Night Supervision programs. She did so by, among other things, billing for services that were not rendered and for services purportedly provided recipients in their homes while they were traveling, while providers were actually working other jobs, and for recipients who never got the billed-for services. This case is being jointly prosecuted by the Fraud Division’s Health Care Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota and investigated by FBI, HHS-OIG, VA-OIG, HSI, and the State of Minnesota Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.