Attorney General Ellison partners with federal law enforcement on indictments of Housing Stabilization Services and Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention providers

FBI and HHS/OIG worked closely with AG Ellison’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit to investigate, execute search warrants, and secure charges

December 18, 2025 (SAINT PAUL) — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison today praised the federal charges levied against numerous principals behind extensive fraud in the Housing Stabilization Services (HSS) and Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) program. The charges resulted from a joint state-federal investigation of HSS providers, which Attorney General Ellison’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) took part in. 

Today’s indictments allege that the principals all independently defrauded Minnesota’s Medical Assistance (Medicaid) program by billing for HSS services that were not delivered. The leaders of these agencies often billed for the maximum amount of HSS services authorized while only delivering a minimal amount of services – if any at all were delivered. At times, the individuals purportedly receiving services had resided in stable housing for extended periods of time, yet the principals continued to bill for HSS services. 

As identified in the indictments and information, principals charged with defrauding the HSS program include:

Members of the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit partnered with federal and state law enforcement, including the FBI and Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (DHHS/OIG) throughout the course of the joint investigation into HSS providers Pristine, Chozen Runner, and Retsel Real Estate. Most prominently, this included: 

Additionally, charges were announced against Abdinajib Hassan Yussuf, who defrauded the EIDBI program through her agency, Star Autism Center LLC.  The US Attorney also announced that Asha Farah Hassan, the owner of Smart Therapy, LLC, pled guilty today. MFCU investigators participated in the Smart Therapy investigation, most prominently through execution of the search warrant at Smart Therapy in December 2024, where they seized voluminous evidence in conjunction with their federal partners.

“Today’s charges and guilty plea are an important step in combatting fraud and protecting our tax dollars,” said Attorney General Ellison. “I’m grateful to U.S. Attorney Rosen, to the FBI, and to HHS’ Office of Inspector General for their partnership, and I’m grateful to the members of my office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for the outstanding work they have and will continue to do to prosecute fraudsters. Minnesotans are a generous people, and we believe in supporting folks who need a helping hand. It boils my blood that fraudsters are taking advantage of that generosity, and my office and I will gladly partner with all those who are also committed to holding fraudsters accountable.”

A 2022 audit of Minnesota’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (DHHS/OIG) found that, during a three-year period, Minnesota’s MFCU had the highest number of convictions compared to similarly sized units.

Attorney General Ellison’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit works to uncover, investigate, and prosecute individuals or organizations that steal from Medicaid and that exploit, neglect, or abuse vulnerable victims. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives 75% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $5,078,704 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2026. The remaining 25%, totaling $1,692,898 for FY 2026, is funded by the State of Minnesota.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.