Multiple Minnesota judges are under fire for dismissing several recent Somali fraud cases – they are:
– Judge Sarah West
– Judge Amber Brennan and
– Judge Hilary Caligiuri
The Hennepin County judges – because of their decisions – have allowed millions in alleged Medicaid theft to go unpunished.
For example: A Hennepin County jury unanimously convicted Somali migrant Abdifatah Yusuf on six counts of aiding theft by swindle in August, after deliberating for just four hours. He stole $7.2 million from Medicaid
Jurors described the evidence as overwhelming, with the foreperson saying it was “beyond a reasonable doubt” based on financial records, witness testimony, and patterns of fund diversion.
However, in a reversal Judge Sarah West arbitrarily set aside the jury’s verdict and entered a judgment of acquittal on all counts.
West ruled that the prosecution’s evidence was circumstantial even though they proved that Yusuf had control over the company and directly received over $1.1 million in transfers. She ruled that they failed to exclude every possible hypothesis of innocence.
- Judge Brennan dismissed all charges against Lul Ahmed, Yusuf’s wife and alleged co-conspirator, saying there was insufficient evidence before trial. This kept any evidence – of documents showing her involvement in check-cashing and fund transfers tied to the scheme – going public.
- Judge Caligiuri threw out the case against co-defendant Abdiweli Mohamud, who faced racketeering and theft charges for his role in a connected home healthcare operation that allegedly stole over $1.8 million in ineligible Medicaid reimbursements
