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First Charge Filed in Minnesota Autism Fraud Investigation as Defendant Signals Guilty Plea

Prosecutors describe this as the first case in a broader fraud investigation spanning social-service programs.

Overview

  • Asha Farhan Hassan, 28, was charged by criminal information with one count of wire fraud tied to more than $14 million in EIDBI reimbursements obtained by her company, Smart Therapy.
  • Charging documents say Smart Therapy recruited families in Minnesota’s Somali community and paid monthly kickbacks of $300 to $1,500 per child, with some families switching providers for higher payments.
  • Prosecutors allege the clinic used unqualified teen relatives as technicians and billed Medicaid for services not provided or not covered, while affiliated drivers also billed for transportation.
  • Hassan allegedly used Smart Therapy to claim nearly 200,000 meals under Feeding Our Future and sought about $465,000, then sent hundreds of thousands of dollars overseas, including for real estate in Kenya.
  • Filed without a grand jury, the case signals an expected guilty plea as the U.S. Attorney says more charges are anticipated in the expanding probe that grew out of the Feeding Our Future investigation.