Minnesota Fraud Kingpin Skips Town After Soft-on-Crime Judge Lets Him Keep Passport [WATCH]

A Minnesota man accused of orchestrating a multimillion-dollar Medicaid fraud scheme failed to appear for a scheduled court hearing this week, leading authorities to issue a warrant for his arrest.

Abdirashid Ismail Said, 50, did not attend a pretrial hearing in Hennepin County, resulting in the forfeiture of his bond, according to FOX 9, which cited the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office. Officials confirmed that law enforcement is now working to locate him.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a statement that efforts are underway to find Said with the assistance of federal authorities.

“A warrant has been issued for Said’s arrest after he failed to appear for a pretrial hearing,” Ellison told the outlet.

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“My Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is working with federal law enforcement to locate Said and ensure he faces justice for the fraud he committed.

“This is a deeply frustrating setback. However, I remain committed to doing everything I can to hold Said and other Medicaid fraudsters accountable.”

According to court filings and reports, Said had posted a $150,000 unconditional bond, which allowed him to avoid stricter release conditions.

A separate $50,000 conditional bond would have required him to surrender his passport.

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Investigators had previously expressed concerns about the possibility that Said could flee, noting his ties outside the United States.

Prosecutors have charged Said with racketeering and multiple counts of aiding and abetting theft by swindle in connection with what authorities describe as a scheme that defrauded Minnesota’s Medicaid program of nearly $11 million.

The criminal complaint alleges the scheme took place from 2019 through 2023.

Prosecutors say Said continued to operate multiple Medicaid-funded home health care agencies despite being barred from participating in such programs following a prior fraud conviction.

Authorities allege Said and his co-conspirators billed Medicaid for services that were never performed, services that were not properly documented, and services supported by falsified records.

Investigators also claim the group submitted claims for services that were not eligible for reimbursement and inflated billing amounts beyond what was permitted.

Court documents detail the scale of the alleged fraud. More than $4.6 million was paid to one agency based on falsified documentation, according to investigators.

In addition, nearly $1 million was billed for clients who later denied receiving any services.

Authorities also identified more than $300,000 in overbilling, along with more than $5.8 million in claims that were either undocumented or supported by fraudulent records.

Records show Said was previously convicted of Medicaid fraud in 2022, ordered to pay $77,000, and prohibited from working with any Medicaid-funded agency.

Prosecutors allege he violated that restriction as part of the current case.

The case has drawn attention to oversight of taxpayer-funded programs in Minnesota.

State leaders, including Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison, have faced continued scrutiny over the handling of fraud within programs such as Medicaid.

The developments come amid broader concerns about fraud in the state.

Prosecutors have also brought charges in the Feeding Our Future case, where defendants are accused of creating fraudulent meal programs and improperly obtaining more than $250 million in federal funds.

Former acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson has suggested that fraud across certain programs could reach into the billions of dollars, with estimates as high as $9 billion.

State officials have faced ongoing questions regarding enforcement and monitoring of public funds, with multiple cases involving alleged fraud tied to Medicaid and welfare spending continuing to surface.

Ellison, whose office has pursued several fraud prosecutions, appeared before Congress earlier this year to address concerns about oversight and enforcement practices.

Authorities have not yet confirmed Said’s whereabouts, and efforts to locate him remain ongoing as the case proceeds.

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