Owner of autism center raided by feds tied to another business billing Minnesota Medicaid

The federal raids at child care and autism centers in the Twin Cities, part of a sweeping investigation into alleged fraud in safety-net programs, are renewing questions about individuals who own or operate multiple businesses that bill Medicaid.

Public records show that some of the companies under investigation are connected through shared ownership — a trend first identified by federal prosecutors, who have previously described it as a potential red flag for fraud.

Using business records and other publicly available documents, 5 INVESTIGATES had previously found dozens of people who own or operate multiple businesses that have billed Minnesota’s Medicaid program since 2018.

One of the autism centers searched by federal agents Tuesday, Aspen Associates, appeared on 5 INVESTIGATES list.

Business filings with the Minnesota Secretary of State and federal health care enrollment documents list Feisal Elmi as the company’s president and manager.

Those same records also identify Elmi as the manager and owner of another Medicaid-billing company, House of Opportunity. House of Opportunity is licensed by the Minnesota Department of Human Services to provide a variety of services, including in-home support.

Signs for both businesses are posted outside of a door that leads into Suite 155. On Wednesday, people were inside the office, but declined to answer questions about Elmi or businesses.

“There’s a lot of people that are in charge,” one person replied when asked who could talk about the businesses.

Elmi did not answer multiple calls or texts on Wednesday. On Tuesday, when reached by phone following the raid at Aspen Associates, he told Investigative Reporter Kirsten Swanson, “I have no idea what they are looking for.”

Federal agents also raided a second Aspen Associates location in Fridley, located at a strip mall. On Wednesday afternoon, the door was locked, and no one answered. However, a homemade label on the office’s exterior mailbox listed both House of Opportunity and Aspen Associates.

“It’s kind of a game of whack-a-mole,” said former Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson.

Lori, who served from 2007 to 2019, oversaw Medicaid fraud prosecutions during her tenure. She said multiple health care companies — operating under shared ownership and out of the same location — can trigger added scrutiny from investigators.

“If you have one business that you think is engaging in fraud, then potentially that’s a sign they may be engaging in fraud elsewhere,” she said.

Medicaid reimbursement data obtained by 5 INVESTIGATES through a public records request shows both businesses billed the state’s Medical Assistance program for various services since 2018.

House of Opportunity billed in the following high-risk Medicaid programs:

Adult Rehabilitative Mental Health Services or ARMHS (amount censored because fewer than three insurers — including the state — paid for services)Integrated community supports ($841,462.40)Integrated home supports ($195,953.48)Night supervision ($17,371.20)

Aspen Associates billed the following three high-risk Medicaid programs:

ARMHS ($323,651.32)EIDBI or Autism ($2,805,299.43)Housing stabilization services ($2,515,220.88)

No charges have been filed related to the Tuesday raids.

Watch the full interview with former Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson in the video player:

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