One of the fraud suspects in a Minnesota autism services case pleaded not guilty in federal court on Tuesday.
Federal prosecutors announced charges against 15 people last week and 55-year-old Shamso Ahmed Hassan is one of two people indicted in what they call an autism services scheme.
Court records show that Hassan and Hanaan Mursal Yusuf, 25, billed Minnesota’s Medicaid program for services never provided at two autism centers between November 2019 and December 2024.
Prosecutors say the scheme defrauded the program out of more than $20 million and the indictment says Hassan and Yusuf paid illegal kickbacks to parents to enroll their children.
Prosecutors say that they disguised those payments and sent the money overseas.
According to the indictment, Hassan and Yusuf wrote checks to family members and employees and asked them to cash the checks and give the money to parents each month.
Prosecutors say they used the code word “Computer” to refer to the kickbacks.
Over time, authorities say the pair submitted claims totaling nearly $50 million. They also say fraudulent money was used to buy property and send money to Kenya.
Hassan is facing charges of money laundering and conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
