DHS to revoke licenses of two metro care centers tied to Medicaid fraud
The Minnesota Department of Human Services plans to revoke licenses of two Twin Cities-area care centers following separate Medicaid fraud investigations that previously prompted license suspensions. Separately, the Oglala Sioux Tribe says three of its members arrested in Minneapolis remain in ICE custody.
📌 Key Facts
- DHS issued temporary immediate suspensions of Smart Therapy Center LLC and 24hrs Home Care’s HCBS licenses on Oct. 10, 2025 and says both revocations take effect Jan. 7, 2026.
- Smart Therapy owner Asha Hassan pled guilty in December to a $14 million Medicaid autism‑services scheme and Feeding Our Future theft, agreeing to nearly $16 million in restitution and a 70–87 month recommended sentence.
- Housing Stabilization defendant Anwar Adow, owner of 24hrs Home Care and Liberty Plus LLC, is accused of directing staff to 'bill as much as they could,' leading Liberty Plus to collect over $1.2 million in Medicaid funds for about 200 clients and diverting much of it to employees, his brother, a leased Mercedes‑Benz and other personal uses.
📊 Relevant Data
In 2025, dozens of Native Americans, including members of the Navajo Nation, reported being questioned or detained by ICE agents, often due to mistaken identity based on appearance.
Dozens of Native Americans report being questioned or detained by ICE — CBS News
More than 170 U.S. citizens, mostly Latinos, have been held by immigration agents since January 2025, often for reasons including questioning citizenship based on appearance.
More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They’ve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days. — ProPublica
The detentions of Oglala Sioux tribal members occurred amid Operation Metro Surge, a large-scale ICE operation in Minnesota launched in December 2025, deploying 2,000 federal agents to the Minneapolis area.
2,000 federal agents sent to Minneapolis area to carry out 'largest' immigration operation ever, ICE says — PBS NewsHour
Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota has resulted in 400 arrests since December 1, 2025, with a focus on immigration enforcement and alleged fraud in Somali-run day care centers.
Federal prosecutors estimate that fraud in Minnesota's Medicaid and human services programs exceeds $9 billion, far surpassing the previously reported $1 billion in pandemic-era cases.
U.S. Attorney: Fraud likely exceeds $9 billion in Minnesota-run Medicaid services — Minnesota Reformer
About half of the $18 billion in Medicaid claims paid to Minnesota programs may be fraudulent, with Somali-operated facilities overrepresented in investigations despite Somalis comprising only 2% of the state's population (approximately 107,000 individuals).
About half of Medicaid's $18 billion in claims paid to Minnesota programs may be fraudulent, official says — Los Angeles Times
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