Duluth psychotherapy provider among nine charged with defrauding the state's Medicaid Program

Peter Meilahn is charged with submitting about 27,000 false claims for services not rendered, totaling more than $2.2 million in fraud.

"As I've said many times, even $1 stolen from these programs is just too many," Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Tuesday.

The Minnesota Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control unit filed the charges, and nine providers have been charged with defrauding the Medicaid program out of more than $3 million.

"I'm angry about people who steal from these public programs. And we're here to protect the public dollar," Ellison added. "Meilahn claimed to provide psychotherapy services to Medicaid recipients, and patients including children, families and vulnerable adults, but we allege that these services were never provided."

Another individual is charged with provider fraud and is separately charged with financially exploiting and neglecting the vulnerable adult she was supposed to care for.

“The many charges we are filing today allege various amounts of fraud, but even one dollar stolen in defrauding a government program is too much,” Ellison said. “It outrages me that some people steal taxpayer money that we as a society have decided should support low-income folks who need specialized services so they can live with dignity, safety, and respect."

The charges filed are:

Peter Jason Meilahn, of Duluth, is charged in Ramsey County District Court with 11 felony theft offenses and two felony identity-theft offenses for defrauding the Minnesota Medical Assistance program out of over $2.2 million. As alleged in the complaint, Meilahn claimed to provide psychotherapy services to Medicaid recipients, but instead submitted 27,400 separate individual false claims, wherein he billed for services that were not rendered. Meilahn frequently saw patients on a handful of occasions, yet continued billing for months after he stopped treating the patients.

Awo Mohamed, of Roseville, is charged in Ramsey County District Court with six felony theft offenses. Mohamed, through her personal care assistant services agency Always on Time, bilked the Minnesota Medical Assistance program out of over $675,000 by billing for services not rendered and services not eligible for reimbursement. MFCU internally opened its investigation into Mohamed after observing ties between Always on Time and agencies involved in other MFCU investigations.

Mark Anthony Johnson, of Brooklyn Park, is charged in Ramsey County District Court with four felony theft offenses for his role in Mohamed’s scheme at Always on Time. Johnson worked as a personal care assistant at Always on Time and conspired with Mohamed and others to bill for services not rendered.

Qalid Hussein Hassan, of Bloomington, is charged in Ramsey County District Court with three felony theft offenses for his role in Mohamed’s scheme at Always on Time. Hassan worked as a personal care assistant at Always on Time and conspired with Mohamed and others to bill for services not rendered.

Angela Ruth Johnson, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is charged in Ramsey County District Court with six felony theft offenses for her role in Mohamed’s scheme at Always on Time. Johnson conspired with others, most notably Mohamed, to allow Always on Time to bill for services not rendered.

Kiddjazzminne Cherrall Freeman, of Minneapolis, is charged in Hennepin County District Court with four counts of felony theft, five counts of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult, one count of criminal neglect of a vulnerable adult, one count of identity theft, and one count of financial transaction card fraud. Freeman’s acts led to billing of the Minnesota Medical Assistance program of more than $17,000 for services not rendered.

Michelle Tyrese Lucas Reed, of Minneapolis, is charged in Hennepin County District Court with six felony theft offenses for bilking the Minnesota Medical Assistance program out of over $42,000. Reed claimed to provide personal care assistant services and home and community-based services while she was clocked in at other jobs, including at Hennepin County and North Memorial. At times, Reed claimed to regularly work for over 17 hours a day between her jobs, including at times over 20 hours per day. Reed’s case was opened by MFCU based on documented connections to other providers and was investigated by the MFCU.

Letrice Spigner, of Minneapolis, is charged in Ramsey County District Court with five felony theft counts for defrauding the Minnesota Medical Assistance program out of more $77,000. Spigner reported providing personal care assistant and homemaker services during the same times she was clocked in and working onsite at another job. Spigner’s case was referred to MFCU by the Minnesota Department of Human Services’ Medicaid Provider Audits and Investigations division, and was investigated by the MFCU.

Chala Bekama Alemo, of Saint Paul, is charged in Hennepin County District Court with four felony theft offenses for defrauding the Minnesota Medical Assistance program out of more than $34,000. Alemo claimed to provide personal care assistant and home and community-based services at times when he did not. Alemo’s case was referred to the MFCU by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and was investigated by the MFCU, BCA, and Saint Paul Police Department.