13 Defendants Indicted In $5.4 Million Health Care Fraud Conspiracy

Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk today announced charges against 13 defendants in a multi-million dollar health care fraud conspiracy. The defendants made their initial appearances yesterday before Magistrate Judge David T. Schultz in U.S. District Court.

According to the allegations in two separate indictments, 13 defendants are charged with participating in a scheme to defraud the Medicaid program. The scheme involved mental health practitioners and interpreters who were associated with Live Better, LLC, a patient services company with offices in Roseville and Minneapolis, and Multicultural Counseling Clinic (“MMCC”), a counseling clinic with offices in St. Paul, Brooklyn Park, and Burnsville. As part of the scheme, the health practitioners and interpreters would submit fraudulent claims through their respective employers for services purportedly provided to Medicaid recipients. In reality, neither the mental health services nor the ancillary interpretation services were rendered. Some defendants participated in this scheme for nearly three years. As a result of the false and fraudulent claims, the Medicaid program paid Live Better and MMCC a total of more than $5.4 million.

The two separate indictments charge defendants OKACH OKWAYOO KWOT, 51, ELIJAH S. KOLLIE, 62, ABDIRAHMAN YONIS, 33, ALPHONSO VASCO JOHNSON, 58, ILYAS ABDI FARAH, 38, ANAB ARTAN AWAD, 50, AYAN ALI MOHAMUD, 41, ELIFAA HENRY KINYAIYA, 45, VARBAR B. KANNEH, 30, ESKENDER M. YOUSUF, 39, HODAN ABDI HASHI, 52, OMAR ALI OSMAN, 28, and UBAH HASSAN HAGI, 43, with conspiracy and wire fraud.

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.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela M. Munoz.

The charges contained in the indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Defendant Information:

OKACH OKWAYOO KWOT, 51

Columbia Heights, Minn.

Charges:

• Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
• Wire fraud, 3 counts

ELIJAH S. KOLLIE, 62

Robbinsdale, Minn.

Charges:

• Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
• Wire fraud, 2 counts

ABDIRAHMAN YONIS, 33

Bloomington, Minn.

Charges:

• Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
• Wire fraud, 2 counts

ALPHONSO VASCO JOHNSON, 58

Oakdale, Minn.

Charges:

• Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
• Wire fraud, 2 counts

ILYAS ABDI FARAH, 38

St. Louis Park, Minn.

Charges:

• Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
• Wire fraud, 2 counts

ANAB ARTAN AWAD, 50

Plymouth, Minn.

Charges:

• Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
• Wire fraud, 2 counts

AYAN ALI MOHAMUD, 41

St. Paul, Minn.

Charges:

• Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
• Wire fraud, 2 counts

ELIFAA HENRY KINYAIYA, 45

Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Charges:

• Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
• Wire fraud, 2 counts

VARBAR B. KANNEH, 30

New Brighton, Minn.

Charges:

• Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
• Wire fraud, 2 counts

ESKENDER M. YOUSUF, 39

Maple Grove, Minn.

Charges:

• Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
• Wire fraud, 2 counts

HODAN ABDI HASHI, 52

Woodbury, Minn.

Charges:

• Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
• Wire fraud, 2 counts

OMAR ALI OSMAN, 28

Eagan, Minn.

Charges:

• Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
• Wire fraud, 2 counts

UBAH HASSAN HAGI, 43

Eagan, Minn.

Charges:

• Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
• Wire fraud, 2 counts

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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600