Warrant Issued for Minnesota Man in Medicaid Fraud Case
A man from Minnesota, Abdirashid Ismail Saeed, has reportedly missed a court date related to an alleged $11 million Medicaid fraud scheme. This absence led to a warrant being issued for his arrest.
The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office confirmed that the 50-year-old did not attend a pretrial hearing in Hennepin County, resulting in the revocation of his bail. Attorney General Keith Ellison stated that his office is coordinating with federal authorities to find Saeed.
Ellison emphasized the frustration of the situation, saying, “A warrant has been issued for Mr. Saeed’s arrest due to his failure to appear at a hearing. My Medicaid Fraud Enforcement Unit is working with federal law enforcement to locate him and ensure he faces justice. This setback is frustrating, but I am committed to holding Saeed and others involved in Medicaid fraud responsible for their actions.”
According to reports, Saeed managed to post $150,000 in unconditional bail to avoid stricter conditions, such as surrendering his passport—a requirement under a conditional bail of $50,000. Investigators have expressed concerns about him potentially fleeing, given his overseas family ties.
Prosecutors have charged him with extortion and several counts of aiding and abetting fraud, claiming he defrauded about $11 million from Minnesota’s Medicaid program. The allegations suggest he secretly operated multiple Medicaid-funded home health agencies from 2019 to 2023, despite a previous fraud conviction that prohibited him from participating in such programs.
The charges indicate that he and his associates billed Medicaid for services that weren’t provided or properly documented, even using forged documents to support claims. Reportedly, there were millions involved in fraudulent claims, with over $4.6 million paid to an agency based on these forged documents. Investigators also found nearly $1 million in charges for services that were declined, more than $300,000 in overcharges, and over $5.8 million in undocumented or poorly documented charges.
Court records reveal that Saeed was previously convicted of Medicaid fraud in 2022, resulting in a $77,000 restitution payment and a prohibition from working with any Medicaid-funded agency—restrictions that he allegedly violated.
All of this has led to increased scrutiny of oversight in taxpayer-funded programs in Minnesota. State leaders, including Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Ellison, are facing criticism regarding their handling of fraud cases, especially against the backdrop of other significant fraud cases, such as the “Feeding Our Future” scandal, where over $250 million in federal funds were fraudulently claimed through fake meal programs.
Concerns are growing, with former Deputy U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson estimating that fraud in some programs could reach up to $9 billion. Public officials are continually under scrutiny for their management of these taxpayer-funded programs.
Ellison’s office has been involved in multiple fraud investigations and even presented its concerns to Congress earlier this year, focusing on the need for better enforcement and oversight.
