Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Friday that the Department of Justice has indicted two Minnesota defendants in what officials are calling the largest autism fraud bust in American history.
The indictment targets Shamso Ahmed Hassan, 55, and Hanaan Mursal Yusuf, 25, who face charges related to an alleged $46.6 million scheme to defraud Minnesota Medicaid's Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) Program. The case is part of a wider DOJ enforcement action by its National Fraud Enforcement Division that ensnared 15 alleged fraudsters targeting more than $90 million in taxpayer funds.
Hassan was a shareholder in two autism centers, Smart Therapy Center and Star Autism Center, but did not disclose her ownership to the Minnesota Department of Human Services as required by law, according to prosecutors. Yusuf worked at the Smart Therapy Center and helped operate the facility, including submitting Medicaid reimbursement claims on behalf of the businesses.
The pair allegedly paid kickbacks to families to incentivize them to send their children to the centers so they could bill for autism-related services in the children's names. They then billed Medicaid for services that were not rendered or were not reimbursable under federal guidelines, the indictment states. Of the $46.6 million filed for reimbursement, $21.6 million was actually paid out.
Prosecutors allege the defendants diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars from the scheme to personal use, including real property purchases and transfers overseas to Kenya.
What the Left Is Saying
Democratic lawmakers and healthcare advocates largely support aggressive prosecution of Medicaid fraud but have raised questions about the scope and context of the announcement. Some progressive groups note that while individual fraud cases should be prosecuted vigorously, they represent a small fraction of Medicaid spending and do not indicate systemic corruption across autism service providers.
Consumer advocacy organizations working with families affected by autism have emphasized the importance of ensuring that enforcement actions do not create barriers for legitimate providers serving children with developmental disabilities. The EIDBI program serves a critical function for Minnesota families, and any crackdown on fraud must be balanced against maintaining adequate access to care, according to advocates who work with the disability community.
Some Democratic voices have pointed out that Medicaid fraud enforcement has occurred under multiple administrations and noted the importance of avoiding politically motivated announcements that could stigmatize legitimate autism therapy services. They argue that protecting vulnerable children requires both accountability for bad actors and robust support for families navigating complex care systems.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans have largely praised the announcement as a necessary step to protect taxpayer dollars and vulnerable populations. Conservative commentators and GOP lawmakers say the case demonstrates the importance of HHS Secretary Kennedy's commitment to rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in federal healthcare programs.
Supporters of the administration's approach argue that large-scale fraud schemes like this one divert resources from children who genuinely need autism services and undermine public confidence in government healthcare programs. They contend that aggressive enforcement serves both fiscal responsibility and compassion for families seeking legitimate care.
Conservative advocacy groups focused on fiscal issues have highlighted the $21.6 million in actual payouts as evidence of significant taxpayer losses, arguing that this case justifies increased scrutiny of Medicaid billing practices across states. Some Republican voices have called for broader reforms to how EIDBI services are administered and monitored to prevent similar schemes.
What the Numbers Show
The indictment alleges a $46.6 million scheme targeting Minnesota's EIDBI Program, with $21.6 million actually paid out by Medicaid — representing approximately 46% of the amount claimed.
The DOJ National Fraud Enforcement Division action ensnared 15 defendants across multiple cases involving over $90 million in alleged fraudulent billing targeting taxpayer-funded healthcare programs.
Both Hassan and Yusuf face one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and one count of money laundering. Yusuf faces five additional counts of healthcare fraud, while Hassan faces two. The DOJ is seeking restitution for the full amount paid out.
EIDBI services in Minnesota provide intensive behavioral interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder and related conditions, with costs that can reach tens of thousands of dollars per beneficiary annually.
The Bottom Line
The indictment represents a significant enforcement action by the Justice Department under Kennedy's tenure at HHS. Prosecutors allege a coordinated scheme involving kickback payments to families and billing for services that were not provided or did not qualify for Medicaid reimbursement.
The case now moves through the federal court system, where both defendants will have opportunities to respond to the charges. Legal proceedings in such complex healthcare fraud cases can take months or years to resolve.
Families currently receiving EIDBI services in Minnesota should continue working with their existing providers; this indictment targets specific individuals and centers, not the broader program or its participants. State regulators may face pressure to enhance oversight requirements for autism therapy providers following revelations of the alleged scheme's scale.
Future reporting will track whether additional defendants are charged as part of the wider DOJ enforcement action targeting over $90 million in allegedly fraudulent Medicaid billing.