A Minneapolis-based medical interpreter has admitted her role in a years-long scheme that prosecutors say drained hundreds of thousands of dollars from Minnesota’s Medicaid program by billing for services that never occurred.
Nasro Takhal pleaded guilty Friday to two felony counts of aiding and abetting theft of Medical Assistance funds. Under a plea agreement, she is expected to pay more than $300,000 in restitution when she is sentenced in October. Her case is part of a broader metro-area investigation targeting fraud within non-emergency medical transportation and interpreter services.
According to court records and reporting by FOX 9, Takhal submitted or helped submit claims to Minnesota’s Medical Assistance program for transportation and interpretation services that were never provided. The charges, filed earlier this year, stem from what investigators describe as a “phantom rides” operation designed to exploit Medicaid reimbursement rules.
Takhal’s case falls under a sweeping investigation known as PITSTOP-66, led by the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office. Investigators allege that between 2019 and 2021, multiple defendants used stolen or fabricated identities to file thousands of fraudulent claims for non-emergency medical transportation and interpreter services.
Prosecutors say Takhal and her co-defendants often directed predominantly Somali-American residents of Faribault to clinics located 50 to 60 miles away. The distance, authorities argue, was intentional, allowing participants to maximize Medicaid reimbursements for rides and interpretation services that were exaggerated or never delivered.
State officials say eight people were charged in May 2024 as part of the PITSTOP-66 probe, which has implicated interpreters, drivers, clinic staff, and transportation providers. As investigators continue to trace the money trail, dozens of arrests and convictions have already been recorded, with estimated losses approaching $2.6 million, according to the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
In response to the growing fraud cases, Governor Tim Walz announced new oversight measures in October 2025 granting the Department of Human Services expanded authority to suspend or closely review certain Medicaid payments before they are issued. Updated pre-payment review guidelines took effect in late January, allowing the state to place payments on hold when there is a credible allegation of fraud.
Officials say these steps are intended to protect public funds and vulnerable patients whose identities were allegedly used without their knowledge. However, advocates note that tighter controls may also create financial strain for legitimate providers whose payments can be frozen during investigations.
The Department of Commerce has indicated that additional prosecutions and civil recovery efforts are likely as the PITSTOP-66 investigation continues.
