Seven Charged in Massive Minnesota Medicaid Fraud

A recent crackdown by the Minnesota Attorney General's Office has led to charges against seven individuals for their alleged involvement in multiple Medicaid fraud schemes. These schemes are reported to have defrauded taxpayers of more than $700,000. The accused face felony charges including theft by false representation and identity theft.

Allegations detail various fraudulent activities. Tremayne Jackson is accused of defrauding the medical assistance program of over $125,000 while working as a basketball coach in Kansas. Christine Pryor faces charges for allegedly claiming to provide unlicensed psychotherapy and counseling services, using the credentials of others. Fernando Navarro is accused of collecting nearly $70,000 by falsely claiming to provide services to a child who had moved away.

Additional charges target Shawki Elsaid and Ahmed Agwa for allegedly billing hundreds of hours of personal care assistant services never rendered, including while they were out of the country. Edward Sherrod faces charges for allegedly stealing over $60,000 by billing for services that did not occur due to concurrent employment or location discrepancies. Jessica Wavra is accused of bilking the program out of over $29,000 by billing for mental health and case management services she did not provide.

Attorney General Keith Ellison stated that his office is committed to holding Medicaid fraudsters accountable and recovering stolen tax dollars. The Minnesota Department of Human Services has also taken action, stopping payments to nearly 700 providers based on fraud allegations. This action follows a broader trend, with federal funding having been deferred to Minnesota due to fraud concerns and recent federal charges against individuals involved in a separate $90 million Medicaid fraud scheme.