“I don't make these generalizations in a hasty way. When I say a significant amount, I'm talking on the order of half or more. But we'll see. When I look at the claims data and the providers, I see more red flags than I see legitimate providers. And overwhelmingly so.”
Joseph H. Thompson, First Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Minnesota · December 18, 2025 · Thompson press conference, FOX 9 live

Source: FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul · original. Hosted copy unaltered except as noted on this page; rights remain with the publisher.

When the state required autism-services providers to apply for licensure, 6 of nearly 500 did. Cato Institute, eight-state autism comparison (via the project resource). Figure as recorded in the resource workbook. A primary link and the exact DHS re-enrollment count are still being sought; the digest records the provider names as not public.

$18Bbilled by the 14 high-risk programs since 2018, per the CMS pull Thompson read
half or moreThompson's reading of that file, December 18, 2025
$1.51B → $4.32Bthe 14 programs, 2018 to 2025
$6.1M → $443Mautism services (EIDBI), 2018 to 2025
~$250Mcharged loss in the meal case; Bock: 500 months, $243M restitution
64 → 36assistant U.S. attorneys in the Minnesota office
Program spending, millions of dollars. DHS extract via Freedom Foundation of Minnesota (Apr 13, 2026) and Minnesota Reformer (Apr 21, 2026). Blank years were not itemized.
01,0002,0003,0004,0002018201920202021202220232024202514 programs ($M)EIDBIICSHSSNight supervision

Charged dollars are the floor. The claims file is the measurement. They are different numbers and this site keeps them apart.

Five acts

  1. Thieves IncreaseThe programs grew faster than anyone could watch
  2. Fraud Gets Flagged2017 emails, a 2018 hearing, a 2018 memo
  3. Kept BuriedThe auditor could not substantiate, the unit was shut, the money kept moving
  4. Thieves ExposedRaids, a claims file, and the hearings
  5. Weak ProsecutionsCharged dollars are the floor, not the file

Reading order

Each step has a primary. The next step is what that primary cannot do.

  1. 1. Claims file — Thompson, FOX 9 live. Half or more of the 14-program file. More red flags than legitimate providers, overwhelmingly. Shells providing no services.
  2. 2. 2018 measurement — FOX 9 suitcase story. CCAP, not meals. Carry-on cash $14M in 2015, $84M in 2016. Sources: daycare fraud.
  3. 3. Stillman — Senate HHS Reform. March 2017 emails. Heard $100M, press 50%, investigators 70–80%. Asked for a federal look at DHS.
  4. 4. Swanson — Email to Carolyn Ham, OLA Appendix B. At least 50% of $217M paid to centers in 2017. Told to delete paragraphs. Refused.
  5. 5. Auditor — OLA CCAP review. Could not substantiate $100M or terrorist use. Proven $5–6M. Controls insufficient April 10. Unit shut 2019.
  6. 6. The veto — Guthmann, 62-CV-20-5492. Contempt yes, $35,750 + $11,750. Stop-pay TRO denied as moot. He did not order payments resumed.
  7. 7. The tape — D1-710. Fight these people at 45:00. Not come to my attention at 37:08. $10,000 on Dec 20.
  8. 8. The award — DHS release. Abukar, Outstanding Refugee. License revoked 2019. Winter 31 Oct 2022. Plea Jan 2025, ~$5.7M.
  9. 9. Prosecutions — Raids, then charging. Meal case ~$250M. Bock 500 months, $243M, 21 May 2026. May 21 2026 takedown, 15 defendants, ~$90M.
  10. 10. Growth — DHS extract. 14 programs $1.51B to $4.32B. EIDBI $6.1M to $443M. Total Medicaid did not outgrow the country.