4 charged with defrauding Medicaid program of over $900K

Four people have been charged with defrauding the Minnesota Medical Assistance Program (Medicaid) of more than $900,000 over several years.

Charging documents filed Tuesday state that three of the four defendants worked for a Minneapolis-based agency known as MN Professional while the fourth owned Reliable Health Services.

According to court documents, the four are accused of submitting claims for personal care assistants or nursing services that weren’t actually provided.

The alleged fraudulent claims were made starting in 2017 and continued into 2020, the documents add.

Pauline Palmore, 64, is charged with eight counts of aiding and abetting theft through false representation, and prosecutors allege that her false claims led the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) and UCare to pay out more than $237,000 in Medicaid funds.

Omer Ahmed Sanyare, 43, is charged with seven counts of aiding and abetting theft through false representation and one count of identity theft. Charging documents claim that his false claims led DHS, UCare and Blue Cross Blue Shield to pay out more than $182,000 in Medicaid funds.

Amina Artan, 31, is charged with seven counts of aiding and abetting theft through false representation, and her false claims allegedly cost DHS, UCare and Blue Cross Blue Shield $132,000 in Medicaid funds.

Christian Kanmue Kolleh is charged with five counts of aiding and abetting theft through false representation. He owned Reliable Health Services and is accused of receiving nearly $367,000 in fraudulent Medicaid funds.

Most of the charges each carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison but Palmore, Sanyare and Kolleh each also face counts that carry up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

They’re all charged via summons and are scheduled to make their initial court appearances on Aug. 28.