A Minnesota judge is facing renewed scrutiny and growing calls for impeachment after approving pretrial release conditions that prosecutors now say allowed a defendant in a major Medicaid fraud case to flee the country before trial.
The criticism has centered on Hennepin County District Judge Juan Hoyos and his decision to set a $150,000 unconditional bond without requiring surrender of the defendant’s passport.
The case involves Abdirashid Said, described by prosecutors as a central figure in a multimillion-dollar Medicaid fraud scheme tied to personal care assistant companies operating in the Minneapolis area, according to court filings and reporting from KARE.
Authorities say Said was previously convicted of Medicaid fraud in 2021 and later charged in 2023 with racketeering, perjury, and multiple counts of aiding and abetting theft by swindle.
Prosecutors allege the scheme involved Medicaid-funded home health agencies that billed the state for services that were either not delivered or improperly documented.
Investigators further allege that despite being barred from participating in Medicaid-funded operations after his prior conviction, Said remained involved in related business activity.
Officials say approximately $11 million in public funds flowed through companies connected to the alleged operation.
Court records cited in reporting describe allegations of falsified timesheets, inflated billing entries, and documentation that did not match services reportedly provided.
Prosecutors say the evidence suggests coordinated activity across multiple agencies involved in the billing network.
The case escalated after Said failed to appear for a scheduled court hearing in April.
A judge subsequently issued a warrant and ordered bond forfeiture after confirming his absence, according to court documents referenced by The Epoch Times.
Prosecutors had reportedly sought a $1 million bail package and argued for stricter conditions, including travel restrictions, citing concerns that Said posed a significant flight risk due to overseas family connections.
A Minnesota Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigator also submitted a court statement warning that Said could attempt to leave the country before trial.
Despite those objections, the court allowed release under financial conditions without mandatory travel restrictions.
Following reports that Said may have left the United States, criticism of the release decision intensified among policy analysts and commentators, who questioned whether the bond conditions adequately addressed the risk of nonappearance in a high-value fraud case.
Bill Glahn, a policy fellow with the Center of the American Experiment, criticized the arrangement, arguing that the absence of passport restrictions made it easier for the defendant to leave the jurisdiction.
Calls for Judge Hoyos to resign have since circulated among critics, who argue the decision reflects broader concerns about judicial discretion in pretrial release cases involving serious financial crimes and repeat offenders.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, in a statement, called the development a setback for prosecutors and said his office remains committed to pursuing accountability in the case.
The disappearance comes amid broader scrutiny of Medicaid fraud enforcement in Minnesota, where state and federal authorities have pursued multiple large-scale schemes involving alleged misuse of taxpayer-funded health programs.
Court records indicate Said remains wanted as the case proceeds, with no new court date announced and no additional disciplinary action taken against Judge Hoyos at this time.
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