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Press Release

Federal Jury Finds Maple Grove Man Guilty of Wire Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft in $1.4 Million Medicaid Fraud Conspiracy

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Minn. - A Maple Grove man has been convicted by a federal jury for his role in a $1.4 million Medicare fraud conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

Following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud, Eskender M. Yousuf, 40, was convicted on all seven counts of the superseding indictment, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The charged conspiracy consisted of nine total defendants. Six of Yousuf’s co-conspirators pleaded guilty prior to trial and two remain fugitives from law enforcement.

As proven at trial, Yousuf was a mental health practitioner who worked with Live Better, LLC, a patient services company with offices in Roseville and Minneapolis. As part of the scheme, Yousuf and his co-conspirators knowingly prepared and signed client progress notes for mental health services—and related interpreter verification forms—that were not actually rendered and submitted claims to the Minnesota Medicaid program for reimbursement of mental health services and the related interpretation of those services. As a result of the false and fraudulent claims, the Medicaid program paid more than $1.4 million for services that never occurred. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; and the Minnesota Attorney General Office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela M. Munoz and Jordan L. Sing tried the case.

Updated November 1, 2022

Topics
Financial Fraud
Health Care Fraud