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Woman Admits Stealing Millions in Autism Care Scheme
19 Dec
Summary
- Woman pleaded guilty to wire fraud for stealing $14 million in Medicaid funds.
- Her company, Smart Therapy Center, billed millions more than approved.
- Federal probes target 14 high-risk Medicaid programs in Minnesota.
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.
