Federal Jury Convicts Maple Grove Man Of Medicaid Fraud

MAPLE GROVE, MN — A federal jury voted to convict a Maple Grove man in a $1.4 million Medicaid fraud conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger announced Tuesday.

Following the four-day trial, Eskender M. Yousuf, 40, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

The Medicaid fraud conspiracy involved nine people, authorities said. Six of Yousuf’s co-conspirators have already pleaded guilty. Two others are fugitives from the law, authorities said.

Yousuf was a mental health practitioner who worked with the patient services company Live Better, LLC, which is based in Roseville and Minneapolis, according to investigators.

Yousuf and his co-conspirators submitted fraudulent claims to the Minnesota Medicaid program for reimbursement of mental health services that never actually took place, authorities said.

The Medicaid program paid out more than $1.4 million for services that never happened, according to investigators.