St. Cloud Autism Center Owner Faces $6 Million Fraud Charges

The owner of a St. Cloud autism treatment center has been charged with federal wire fraud, accused of defrauding a Minnesota health care program out of $6 million. Abdinajib Hassan Yussuf, aged 27, served as the president and CEO of the Star Autism Center, which was raided by FBI agents in December 2024. The charges were announced during a press conference by the U.S. Attorney’s Office on December 18, 2024, in Minneapolis.

Authorities allege that Yussuf’s center engaged in a systematic scheme to defraud the Early Intensive Development and Behavioral Intervention program. This program, overseen by the Minnesota Department of Human Services, provides essential services and support to individuals under the age of 21 diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or similar conditions.

Yussuf and his associates reportedly solicited parents from the Somali community to enroll their children at Star Autism. In cases where a child did not have a formal diagnosis, Yussuf’s team sought to qualify them for autism services. The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that Star Autism submitted inflated claims for Medicaid reimbursements, often without the knowledge of the service providers, for services that were never rendered.

According to the allegations, Yussuf distributed the $6 million in proceeds among other owners and investors associated with Star Autism. Additionally, he is accused of misappropriating over $100,000 to purchase a semi-truck and transferring $200,000 to Kenya.

Yussuf is not alone in facing legal consequences; five other individuals have also been charged federally for their involvement in defrauding the government through the autism services and Housing Stabilization Services programs. Altogether, a total of 13 individuals have been implicated in fraudulent activities related to the housing program.

The unfolding situation raises significant concerns about the integrity of publicly funded health care services and the impact of fraud on vulnerable communities. As the case develops, the repercussions for those involved could be substantial.