Has Ishmail Said disappeared or lying low in the US? The Attorney General of Minnesota, Keith Ellison, is a disappointed man. Last week, he learned that one of the immigrants accused of defrauding Minnesota of millions of dollars had disappeared.
Abdirashid Ismail Said was due in court last week, on April 7th, 2026, for a pre-trial hearing. The hearing would then begin the following day at Hennepin County Court. Normally, a pre-trial hearing involves a meeting between the accused’s defense attorney, the prosecutor, and the presiding judge.
By skipping the court date, Said automatically forfeited his bond amount. Meanwhile, the court’s greatest headache is the possibility of Said having left the US.
What is Ismail Said accused of?
Ismail Said is accused of defrauding the state of Minnesota of $11 million through the Medicaid program.
In 2022, he was found guilty of similar fraud and barred from engaging with any agency that handles Medicaid. He was also ordered to pay $77,000 to the state of Minnesota. However, it appears he continued working with agencies under the Medicaid program, but behind the scenes.
During the hearing in that case, the judge described Said’s fraud as the “largest ever” Medicaid case Minnesota had prosecuted.
Previous Plea by the Prosecution
The last time Said was in court, the prosecution moved to deny his bail, arguing he posed a flight risk. The prosecution cited the fact that the accused had relations outside the US. As an example, the prosecution told the court that Said’s wife and child live in Kenya.
Nevertheless, the judge gave Said two options: either post bail of $50,000 and deposit his passport with the court, or post bail of $150,000 without relinquishing his passport. Said opted to deposit the higher bond amount. Therefore, he left court without any conditions, except to appear in court in early April.
It is alleged that Ismail Said received the funds from Medicaid through three agencies: Minnesota Home Health Care, Faym Health, and Prestige Health.
Minnesota Has Other aid-related Fraud Cases
The state of Minnesota has had other cases of fraud in recent years. Early this year, a Minnesota court sentenced a US citizen alongside a Somali restaurant owner for fraud associated with a feeding program.