Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has filed charges against eight individuals for allegedly defrauding the state’s Medicaid program of nearly $2.6 million. The group is accused of using stolen identities to bill Medicaid for services that were not provided, resulting in 67 felonies including racketeering, felony theft, and identity theft.
The defendants allegedly billed Medicaid for transportation, interpreter, and specialty clinic services such as acupuncture, physical therapy, chiropractic, and mental health services that were either not provided or not eligible for reimbursement. The scheme primarily targeted lower-income residents who rely on the program for health insurance.
The defendants used patient identities to bill Medicaid for services in the Twin Cities area, even though service providers were available closer to home in the Faribault area. UCare, a private managed care company that works with Medicaid, permits members to travel up to 60 miles for medical services without preauthorization.
The principal actor, Nasro Aden Takhal, is charged with racketeering, identity theft, and aiding and abetting felony theft. Three other co-conspirators are charged with similar offenses, while four others are facing charges of identity theft and aiding and abetting felony theft.
The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges come after Ellison previously brought charges in another Medicaid fraud case involving $11 million in billing. The Attorney General’s office is committed to cracking down on Medicaid fraud to protect the integrity of the program and ensure that funds are used for their intended purpose.
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