Woman Admits Stealing Millions in Autism Care Scheme

Federal prosecutors announced that a 28-year-old Minnesota woman, Asha Farhan Hassan, pleaded guilty to wire fraud. She is accused of stealing approximately $14 million in Medicaid funds by falsely providing services for children with autism through her company, Smart Therapy Center. State records indicate the company billed over $31.8 million between 2018 and 2025, far exceeding its approved claims.

Hassan also admitted to stealing $465,000 from the Feeding Our Future program, a child nutrition initiative. Simultaneously, authorities charged Abdinajib Hassan Yussuf for a similar scheme involving his company, Star Autism Center LLC, which allegedly offered kickbacks to parents. Both companies submitted claims exceeding what the state ultimately paid.

This fraud is part of a broader federal investigation targeting numerous Medicaid programs in Minnesota deemed high-risk. Investigators are scrutinizing unusual billing patterns and rapid payment growth as key indicators of potential fraud across 14 programs, including EIDBI and housing stabilization services.