First guilty plea in Minnesota’s autism care fraud scandal

FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul reports on what they describe as the first guilty plea in Minnesota’s publicly funded autism care fraud scandal. According to the news outlet, Asha Hassan, identified as the first defendant charged in the case, pleaded guilty to wire fraud at the US District Courthouse.

In the video, FOX 9 claims that Hassan owned a business called Smart Therapy LLC and allegedly participated in two separate fraud schemes. The report states that Hassan pleaded guilty to defrauding both Minnesota’s autism care program, known as EIDBI, and the Feeding Our Future child nutrition program. According to the news outlet, Hassan allegedly took in approximately $14 million in Medicaid funds and another $450,000 that was supposedly designated to feed hungry children.

FOX 9 reports that prosecutors indicated Hassan allegedly sent hundreds of thousands of dollars out of the country to Kenya to purchase real estate in her own name. The news team attempted to question Hassan and her attorneys outside the courthouse, but according to the video, they declined to comment on the case.

The report addresses what FOX 9 describes as an overlap between the two fraud schemes. According to the news outlet, the US Attorney’s Office mentioned that approximately two dozen Feeding Our Future defendants were also allegedly receiving funding for supposed autism clinics. FOX 9 suggests this connection is how individuals like Hassan were allegedly caught.

According to the video, Hassan’s guilty plea includes restitution of nearly $16 million owed to the United States government. FOX 9 reports that lead prosecutor Joe Thompson was asked about the likelihood of collecting such a significant amount. The news outlet quotes Thompson explaining that asset seizure depends on individual circumstances, noting that prosecutors are aggressive in seizing bank account funds and recovering real estate purchased without financing.

In FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul’s Own Words

“She pleaded guilty in two schemes, not just the autism care or EIDBI program, but also she admitted her role in the massive Feeding Our Future Child Nutrition fraud.”

“Prosecutors point out she sent hundreds of thousands of dollars out of this country to Kenya to purchase real estate in her own name.”

“In the Feeding Our Future case, for example, I think we’re somewhere between 60 and 70 million dollars that we’ve recovered.”

FOX 9 reports that Hassan’s guilty plea carries a potential prison sentence of approximately 70 to 87 months, or roughly 5 to 8 years behind bars. According to the video, the judge has the ultimate sentencing authority and allowed Hassan to remain free and out of custody until formal sentencing at a later date. The coverage highlights what the news outlet presents as a significant fraud case involving taxpayer-funded programs intended to serve vulnerable populations, including children with autism and hungry children in need of nutritional assistance.