A judge in Minneapolis has ignited a firestorm of controversy after she took the extraordinary step of overturning a jury's guilty verdict in a multi-million dollar taxpayer fraud case. Judge Sarah West's decision to acquit Abdifatah Yusuf, 44, who was convicted of orchestrating a $7.2 million Medicaid scam, has drawn fierce criticism from the jurors who convicted him and local politicians.
The Fraud Scheme and Original Conviction
In August, a jury found Abdifatah Yusuf and his wife, Lul Ahmed, guilty of running a deceitful fraud scheme through a home healthcare company named Promise Health. Prosecutors successfully argued that the couple used a mailbox at the so-called medical company to bill Medicaid for services that were never rendered.
The ill-gotten gains, totalling $7.2 million, were allegedly funnelled into a lavish lifestyle. According to evidence presented in court, the money funded extravagant shopping sprees at high-end retailers like Coach, Canada Goose, Nike, and Michael Kors, as well as the purchase of luxury cars. The attorney general's office stated Yusuf directed over $1 million from the business account to his personal account and withdrew more than $387,000 in cash.
A Shocking Judicial Reversal
In a rare move last week, months after the conviction, Judge Sarah West overturned the jury's decision, entering a judgment of acquittal. She defended her ruling by stating the prosecution's case "relied heavily on circumstantial evidence" and failed to rule out other reasonable inferences. Such post-verdict acquittals are extremely uncommon in criminal cases.
The jurors, who deliberated for only about four hours before reaching their unanimous guilty verdict, have expressed profound shock and dismay. "I am shocked. I'm shocked based off of all of the evidence that was presented to us and the obvious guilt that we saw," jury foreperson Ben Walfoort told KARE 11 News. Another juror echoed this sentiment, emphasising the panel took their duty seriously and reached agreement easily on the evidence.
Political Fallout and Wider Fraud Context
The decision has provoked outrage among Minnesota politicians. State Representative Kristin Robbins (Republican) said she was "stunned" and called for stronger state laws to secure convictions in such cases. In response, the office of Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison filed an appeal against the acquittal on Monday, an unusual legal step.
This controversial case unfolds against a backdrop of massive fraud scandals shaking Minnesota's social safety net. Federal prosecutors have charged 86 people in schemes that allegedly stole over $1 billion from programmes meant to feed children and aid the vulnerable. One central case involves the non-profit Feeding Our Future, where funds intended for meals were allegedly diverted to luxury purchases and overseas real estate.
Former President Donald Trump recently criticised Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, calling the state a "hub of fraudulent money laundering activity" and vowing to revoke temporary protected status for some Somali nationals. Federal prosecutors note that of the 86 charged in the wider schemes, 59 have been convicted so far.
Despite the acquittal, Judge West noted she remained "troubled by the manner in which fraud was able to be perpetuated at Promise Health." Yusuf's defence attorney, Ian Birrell, expressed gratitude for the ruling, asserting it affirmed his client's innocence from the start. The legal and political battle over the $7.2 million fraud case is set to continue in the appeals court.
