Minnesota Man Previously Recognized as ‘Exceptional Refugee’ Now Charged in Suspected Medicaid Fraud Case

August 18, 2026

Medicaid Fraud Charges in Minnesota

A man previously honored as a “distinguished refugee” by the Minnesota Department of Human Services is now facing charges related to a Medicaid fraud scheme, according to various reports.

On Monday, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced that his Medicaid Fraud Enforcement Unit had issued indictments against two individuals accused of embezzling over $1.5 million from the state’s Medicaid program. Salman Ahmed Elmi was charged in the first case with eight counts of felony theft involving Leva Health. He’s alleged to have billed Medicaid for more than $1 million for services that either were never delivered or weren’t eligible for reimbursement.

Interestingly, Elmi had previously received the “Outstanding Refugee Award for Entrepreneurship” from Minnesota DHS and CBS News.

Elmi operated Leva Health in Golden Valley, Minnesota, from 2024 to 2026. Although he claimed to offer Adult Rehabilitation Mental Health Services (ARMHS) to Medicaid recipients, it was reported that Elmi and his associates created false documents to get Medicaid reimbursement. They also instructed employees to pay illegal kickbacks to recipients, allowing them to use personal information to support fraudulent Medicaid claims.

Moreover, Elmi and his conspirators allegedly worked with ineligible providers to deliver ARMHS to recipients, falsely asserting that they provided sufficient supervision, when in reality, there was little to none. Some of Elmi’s co-conspirators were reportedly linked to the recent dismantling of a sex trafficking ring, as noted by FOX 9.

In a second case, Mohamed Haji Rashid faces nine counts of felony theft, accused of billing Medicaid more than $300,000 for services not actually provided or eligible for reimbursement.

Ellison emphasized, via a post, that “Medicaid dollars are meant to provide healthcare to low-income Minnesotans, not to line the pockets of fraudsters.” He added a strong warning: “If you try to deceive Minnesotans, we’ll find you and we’ll hold you accountable.”

The Department of Health and Human Services, which has been particularly vigilant against Medicaid fraud, announced it is delaying over $1 billion in Medicaid payments to Minnesota and California as part of its efforts to tackle healthcare fraud across the U.S.