Minnesota once recognized Salman Ahmed Elmi as an outstanding refugee entrepreneur. He is now facing eight felony theft charges in a Medicaid fraud case involving more than $1 million.
Elmi, 30, received an Outstanding Refugee Award from the Minnesota Department of Human Services in 2021
Five years later, the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office says Elmi operated Reva Health in Golden Valley while the company billed Medicaid for services that were never provided or were not eligible for reimbursement.
Prosecutors accuse Elmi and others of falsifying records, using Medicaid recipients’ personal information to support false claims, paying illegal kickbacks and billing for mental health services without the supervision required for reimbursement.
Reva Health Submitted More Than $2.5 Million in Claims
Elmi and Frank Reeves are identified in the criminal complaint as owners of Reva Health, which claimed to provide Adult Rehabilitative Mental Health Services, or ARMHS.
From January 2024 through February 2026, Reva Health submitted more than $2.5 million in Medicaid claims for services reportedly provided to recipients. Elmi’s eight felony theft charges concern more than $1 million in Medicaid-funded services that prosecutors say were either never provided or were ineligible for reimbursement.
The complaint alleges that Reva Health and affiliated businesses used several methods to obtain improper Medicaid payments, including falsified documentation, billing for services recipients said they never received and claiming reimbursement for mental health work that did not meet supervision requirements.
Recipients Were Allegedly Paid to Let the Company Use Their Information
Investigators say some of the alleged fraud depended on obtaining Medicaid recipients’ personal information and then using it to generate claims.
One woman described in the complaint told investigators that she received $100 for each Medicaid recipient whose information she brought to a person involved with the businesses. According to her account, that information would then be used to bill Medicaid for services the recipients never received.
She also said Reva Health put additional money in her paychecks so she could give those recipients $150 per month in cash. Investigators characterize those payments as illegal kickbacks intended to obtain permission to use recipients’ information for Medicaid billing.
The woman told investigators that despite appearing on Reva Health’s payroll for months, she never actually provided Medicaid services to any recipients. She also said her own information was used by Reva Health to bill Medicaid for mental health services she never received.
HealthPartners Flagged Problems With the Records
Questions about Reva Health’s billing emerged after HealthPartners reviewed medical records and other documents connected to the company. According to the criminal complaint, HealthPartners found that a clinical supervisor had signed multiple progress notes at the exact same time or in rapid succession.
Investigators said that pattern raised questions about whether records were being individually reviewed as required. HealthPartners also found sessions billed as 2.5 hours of mental health services even though the documentation did not appear to support the amount of time claimed.
The insurer ultimately referred Reva Health to the Minnesota Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for further investigation.
Investigators Questioned Whether Required Supervision Existed
The Adult Rehabilitative Mental Health Services Reva Health billed required qualified clinical supervision. The criminal complaint says Minnesota Department of Human Services records showed that Reva Health never had a licensed professional qualified to supervise ARMHS formally affiliated with the company.
Records also showed that the person was working more than full time elsewhere while serving as what investigators described as Reva Health’s sole
Prosecutors allege Reva Health nevertheless submitted claims representing that qualifying supervision existed. Some of Elmi’s theft counts relate specifically to Medicaid payments made during periods when investigators say that supervision did not satisfy program requirements.
More Than $140,000 Went to Elmi or His Software Company
The complaint describes Elmi as having a direct role in the creation, ownership and financing of Reva Health. Investigators say Elmi obtained startup financing for the business and completed a beneficial ownership form identifying himself and Reeves as the only two people who each owned at least 25% of the company.
Elmi secured the financing in part by representing that he was a part-owner of Tavolo, a Minneapolis-based software company, according to the complaint.
Bank records cited by investigators show that since 2024, more than $140,000 was transferred from a Reva-affiliated business account either directly to Elmi or to an account held by Tavolo.
Minnesota Had Honored Him Years Earlier
In 2021, the same state department that administers Minnesota’s Medicaid program recognized Elmi through its Outstanding Refugee Awards.
Minnesota’s records identified him as an entrepreneur and former refugee. DHS told KSTP that recipients of the award did not receive money or another material benefit; they were given a certificate and plaque.
The department ended the Outstanding Refugee Awards program in 2024. After Elmi was charged, DHS told KSTP that his alleged actions were disturbing and did not reflect either the purpose of the awards or Minnesota’s broader refugee community.
Elmi Faces Eight Felony Theft Charges
Elmi faces five counts of aiding and abetting theft by false representation and three counts of aiding and abetting theft by swindle. The charges allege that he aided or conspired with others to obtain Medicaid funds through claims for Adult Rehabilitative Mental Health Services that contained false information or otherwise did not qualify for reimbursement.
Several people connected to the broader network of Reva-affiliated businesses are also subjects of separate criminal allegations. Some individuals associated with those businesses face charges related to promoting or profiting from prostitution in another case.
Elmi himself is charged only in the Medicaid fraud case. The allegations against him have not been proven in court.
Watch for Medicaid Claims for Services You Never Received
The Minnesota Department of Human Services specifically warns recipients to be suspicious if someone offers cash, gift cards, transportation money or other rewards in exchange for their information. DHS also warns against providers that unexpectedly request a Medicaid ID or Social Security number, ask patients to sign blank paperwork or tell them not to discuss services with their doctor, case manager or DHS.
Recipients should review their Explanation of Benefits and other health-plan records for unfamiliar providers, diagnoses or services they did not receive. DHS lists services or diagnoses that a recipient does not recognize on an Explanation of Benefits as a warning sign of possible Medicaid fraud.
Suspected Medicaid provider fraud can be reported to DHS online or by calling 651-431-2650 or 800-657-3750. DHS says credible allegations can then be referred to the Minnesota Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for criminal investigation and prosecution.
