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A Minnesota woman charged in connection with fraud schemes targeting publicly funded social programs has pleaded guilty in federal court.

According to FOX 9, Asha Hassan, identified by prosecutors as the first defendant charged in relation to Minnesota’s state-funded autism services program, admitted to one count of wire fraud.

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The plea marks a significant development in a broader effort to address alleged misuse of public funds intended to support vulnerable communities.

According to court filings, Hassan was implicated in claims submitted to Minnesota’s autism care system, a program designed to provide services for children with developmental disabilities.

"Many defendants in these cases were getting money from multiple government benefit programs, many Medicaid programs," explained First U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson.

"This is how these investigations grew out of Feeding our Future. I think roughly two dozen or so Feeding our Future defendants were getting money from autism clinics and that's how we learned about the autism fraud."

Authorities said the scheme resulted in the improper diversion of taxpayer money for personal gain.

Hassan has also been connected to the wider Feeding Our Future investigation, one of the largest fraud cases in the state’s history, which centers on alleged theft of federal funds from a nutrition program intended to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Federal prosecutors said the guilty plea reflects ongoing efforts to hold individuals accountable for exploiting public assistance programs.

According to FOX 9, prosecutors said that Hassan transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to Kenya to purchase real estate in her name.

Hassan owned a business called Smart Therapy LLC, reportedly set up to provide one-on-one care for children with autism.

According to court documents and her own admissions, Hassan and partners recruited children from the Somali community, sometimes offering payments to families, and then submitted claims for services that were overbilled or not provided.