MINNEAPOLIS — Three people are charged with 24 counts including racketeering under Minnesota's version of the organized crime law known as RICO in the latest round of charges filed by the Minnesota Attorney General's Office targeting Medicaid fraud among personal care assistant (PCA) companies.
PCAs offer assistance with daily living including dressing, grooming, and bathing -- often for elderly or disabled people. When patients are eligible for Medicaid, Minnesota's Department of Human Resources distributes those reimbursement payments to the providers.
Abdirashid Said, Said Ibrahim, and Ali Ahmed are accused of being part of a criminal enterprise that bilked the Medicaid reimbursement program out of nearly $11 million -- the largest case ever prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office.
An additional 18 people have been charged in a $9.5 million plot that also involved companies offering PCA services.
"This is a good program funded by taxpayer dollars to help people who really need the help," said Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who added that "dishonest people" are behind the Medicaid fraud.
Abdirashid Said was previously convicted of theft by swindle in a small, similar scheme and ordered by a judge not to work for any companies dealing with Medicaid reimbursements.
At a probation violation hearing last month, Said testified that dozens of checks written to him by companies offering personal care assistant or PCA services were loans from people he personally knew, rather than for employment.
"In our culture, we trust one another," Said answered when questioned about it.
Said is now charged with perjury stemming from that testimony in addition to his other charges.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says the defendants over-billed, double-billed, and billed for services not performed. In addition, Said was not supposed to have anything to do with companies receiving Medicaid reimbursements because he was convicted of theft by swindle in a smaller, similar scheme in 2021.
In his prior testimony, Said said money exchanged hands because he was in need and the close-knit Somali community looked out for each other.
"This is part of our culture, to help people," he said.
But prosecutors included a damning text message exchange in the criminal complaint where co-defendant Said Ibrahim writes "Im gonna over bill the hours" and Abdirashid Said responds: "Halaluya Amen."
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