As always, it was another big week in Minnesota fraud, and we break down the week’s breaking news by day:
Tuesday
KARE-11’s Lou Raguse documented how taxpayer spending on 14 fraud-vulnerable state Medicaid programs is now approaching $21 billion (with a “b”) for the period 2018-2026. The new data suggest that the total fraud dollar amount under Gov. Tim Walz may have passed the $10 billion mark.
Federal prosecutors got their requested 18-month prison sentence for Feeding Our Future defendant Yusuf Bashir Ali, a minor player in the overall scheme. He became the 12th defendant sentenced in the case out of 65 convicted, so far. Six (6) more sentencing hearings are scheduled coming up for other defendants.
Thursday
KARE-11 reports,
Federal agents execute search warrants at multiple SNAP retail locations around Twin Cities
WCCO reports,
Federal agents say they executed criminal search warrants at two Twin Cities stores on Thursday as part of an investigation into $2.1 million of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program fraud.
Twenty other stores were part of the investigation and are suspected of violating the SNAP program.
Friday
KSTP-5 reports,
The state says a north Minneapolis church misspent your tax dollars and should pay them back.
The Minnesota Attorney General filed suit against the Zion Baptist Church, demanding the return of $2.48 million in grant money. The grants came from the Department of Human Services and were meant to pay for behavioral and mental health programs.
The lawsuit says the church failed to properly document how it spent the money and didn’t hand over its documentation when requested, as the grants required.
“Misspent.” The state filed a civil lawsuit against the church, rather than lodging criminal charges. So, file this item under “waste” or “abuse” rather than outright fraud. Either way, it will be added to ScandalTrackerTM.
Saturday
WCCO-4 reports,
Minnesota medical drivers plead for help from politicians after national business cancels contract over fraud allegations
The “national business” was Medical Transportation Management, out of St. Louis, MO. The local business was Southdale Transportation Services out of St. Anthony, MN. WCCO quotes Southdale’s owner,
“It is discrimination. Blatant discrimination,” said Ahmed Jama, who’s the general manager for Southdale Transportation Services Inc.
What will next week bring?
