Minneapolis Judge Overturns $7.2M Fraud Conviction, Sparking Outrage from Jurors
A Minneapolis judge has thrown out the fraud conviction of 45-year-old Abdifatah Yusuf, who was found guilty in August of stealing $7.2 million through a bogus health care agency called Promise Health Services. The decision has triggered widespread backlash, especially from jurors who say the evidence was overwhelming.
Yusuf had been convicted of six counts of aiding and abetting theft by swindle, after state prosecutors argued he used fraudulent billing, kickbacks, and fake documentation to defraud Minnesota’s Medicaid program. The state presented evidence that Yusuf ran the agency out of a mailbox and used taxpayer funds to bankroll a lavish lifestyle, including $80,000 in luxury clothing, $42,000 in vehicles, and over $20,000 on furniture.
But Judge Sarah West ruled Thursday that prosecutors relied too heavily on circumstantial evidence and failed to definitively tie Yusuf to the fraudulent activity.
Judge Questions Direct Ties to Fraud
In a 55-page ruling, West acknowledged that fraud occurred at Promise Health Services but argued the state’s case didn’t provide sufficient direct evidence linking Yusuf to the crime.
“The State’s case was based substantially on circumstantial evidence,” West wrote. “The jury may have inferred involvement, but nearly all purported evidence of Mr. Yusuf’s alleged involvement in the fraud… is circumstantial.”
West, who was appointed by Democrat Governor Mark Dayton, noted she was “troubled by the manner in which fraud was able to be perpetuated at Promise Health,” but maintained that the legal threshold for proving Yusuf’s guilt had not been met.
Jurors Outraged by Decision
Members of the jury were stunned by the judge’s move.
“It was not a difficult decision whatsoever,” jury foreman Ben Walfoort told KARE 11. “Based off of the state’s evidence that was presented, it was beyond a reasonable doubt. I am shocked.”
Another juror added, “We didn’t take our job lightly. We went through a lot of evidence… but we all came to an agreement pretty easily.”
Legal Fallout and Appeal
Prosecutors have filed an appeal, arguing the judge overstepped by invalidating the jury’s findings.
Ian Birrell, Yusuf’s defense attorney, praised the ruling as a validation of his client’s innocence.
“Judge West’s 55-page order meticulously considered the facts and faithfully applied the law,” Birrell said. “It affirms what we have maintained from the very beginning: that Abdifatah Yusuf did not commit fraud.”
The state’s appeal will seek a reexamination of the ruling and whether West correctly interpreted the evidence in deciding to overturn a unanimous jury verdict.