Federal agents arrested two Minnesota women accused of stealing over $21 million from taxpayers through fraudulent claims targeting autism services for children, with prosecutors alleging some funds were sent overseas while vulnerable families went without care.

Massive Medicaid Fraud Scheme Exposed

The Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations arrested Shamso Ahmed Hassan, 55, and Hanaan Mursal Yusuf, 25, both of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. Federal prosecutors charged the pair with submitting $46.6 million in fraudulent claims to Minnesota’s Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention program, a Medicaid-funded service designed to help children with autism. The women allegedly collected approximately $21.1 million for services never provided to children.

According to the federal indictment, Hassan concealed her beneficial ownership of Smart Therapy Center LLC and Star Autism Center LLC from Minnesota regulators, while Yusuf operated as a provider submitting the fraudulent claims. Prosecutors say the scheme ran from at least May 2020 through December 2024, starting during the COVID pandemic when oversight weakened.

Kickbacks And Money Laundering Alleged

Federal investigators say the women paid illegal kickbacks to parents to enroll their children in the program, then billed for services never rendered and for children who did not qualify for autism services. The pair allegedly disguised the kickback payments by routing money through family members and employees, with some funds transferred overseas. Both women now face charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, eight counts of health care fraud, and two counts of money laundering.

Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis stated that ICE continues targeting rampant fraud in Minnesota under Secretary Mullin’s leadership. Both women are United States citizens, with Hassan having naturalized, and have pleaded not guilty. They remain in federal custody awaiting trial.

Pattern Of Fraud In Same Programs

This case marks the second major fraud prosecution involving Smart Therapy Center. In late 2025, Asha Farhan Hassan, then 28, pleaded guilty to wire fraud after stealing $14 million from the identical autism program. She was also connected to the Feeding Our Future scandal, a separate $250 million child nutrition fraud case. These prosecutions represent part of a larger pattern of fraud targeting Minnesota social service programs, including daycare scams and housing fraud, that exploded with minimal oversight. Billions in taxpayer money have been stolen while actual vulnerable children and families who need these critical services continue to suffer from the abuse of programs designed to help them.