Multiple Minnesota Judges Are Under Fire For Dismissing Multiple Recent Somali Fraud Cases

Multiple Minnesota judges are under fire for dismissing several recent Somali fraud cases – they are: 

- Judge Sarah West  

- Judge Amber Brennan and  

- Judge Hilary Caligiuri 

The Hennepin County judges – because of their decisions – have allowed millions in alleged Medicaid theft to go unpunished.  

For example:  A Hennepin County jury unanimously convicted Somali migrant Abdifatah Yusuf on six counts of aiding theft by swindle in August, after deliberating for just four hours.  He stole $7.2 million from Medicaid 

Jurors described the evidence as overwhelming, with the foreperson saying it was "beyond a reasonable doubt" based on financial records, witness testimony, and patterns of fund diversion. 

However, in a reversal Judge Sarah West arbitrarily set aside the jury's verdict and entered a judgment of acquittal on all counts.  

West ruled that the prosecution's evidence was circumstantial even though they proved that Yusuf had control over the company and directly received over $1.1 million in transfers. She ruled that they failed to exclude every possible hypothesis of innocence.