First charge in MN autism program fraud
Federal prosecutors charged Asha Farhan Hassan, 28, with wire fraud, alleging she used Smart Therapy LLC/Smart Therapy Centers to obtain more than $14 million from Minnesota’s EIDBI program via DHS and UCare by paying parents $300–$1,500 a month and hiring unqualified teen relatives, while also claiming to feed up to 1,200 children a day under Feeding Our Future and seeking nearly $500,000 in reimbursements. Authorities say funds were moved overseas, including for property in Kenya; the FBI previously raided autism centers in Minneapolis and St. Cloud, and Hassan is the 76th defendant tied to the broader Feeding Our Future case but the first charged in the autism-center probe. Her attorney says she plans to plead guilty within weeks and is cooperating to some degree, as investigators estimate related fraud totals approaching $300 million; the defense called it a “perfect storm” amid recent state funding changes.
Key Facts
- Defendant: Asha Farhan Hassan, 28, charged with wire fraud in Minnesota federal court
- Alleged scheme: Smart Therapy LLC obtained over $14 million from EIDBI via DHS and UCare
- Kickbacks to parents: $300–$1,500/month; unqualified teen relatives hired as staff
- FOF angle: falsely claimed 200,000 meals, sought $465,000 under Feeding Our Future sponsorship
- Funds moved overseas, including property purchases in Kenya
- FBI previously raided autism centers in Minneapolis and St. Cloud in late 2024
Sources (2)
- Defendant: Asha Farhan Hassan, 28, charged with wire fraud in Minnesota federal court
- Alleged scheme: Smart Therapy LLC obtained over $14 million from EIDBI via DHS and UCare
- Kickbacks to parents: $300–$1,500/month; unqualified teen relatives hired as staff