Bloomington Man Pleads Guilty For Role in $1.4 Million Medicaid Fraud Case
St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Bloomington man has pleaded guilty to his role in a $1.4 million Medicaid fraud case.
Prosecutors said 35-year-old Abdirahman Yonis, was a mental health practitioner who worked with Minnesota Multicultural Counseling Clinic. The clinic has offices in St. Paul, Brooklyn Park, and Roseville.
As part of the scheme, Yonis and others knowingly prepared and signed client progress notes for mental health services, and related interpreter verification forms, that were not actually rendered and submitted the claims to the Minnesota Medicaid program for reimbursement of mental health services.
As a result of the false claims, the Medicaid program paid more than $1.4 million for services that never occurred.
Yonis pleaded guilty Monday to one count of wire fraud. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
In 2021, the U.S Attorney’s Office charged two separate cases that involved over $5.4 million in fraudulent Medicaid billing for mental health services. Since then, 15 defendants have pleaded guilty, one has been convicted at trail, and three remain fugitives from law enforcement.
Prosecutors said the convicted defendants will be required to pay restitution to the Medicaid program for the amounts paid out on their fraudulent billing practices.