A Minneapolis interpreter has admitted she helped siphon hundreds of thousands of dollars from Minnesota's Medicaid program in a long‑running “phantom rides” scheme that investigators say turned basic health benefits into a cash machine.
On Friday, Nasro Takhal pleaded guilty to two felony counts of aiding and abetting theft of Medical Assistance funds. Prosecutors say she will owe more than $300,000 in restitution when she is sentenced in October and that her case is one piece of a wider metro‑area crackdown on non‑emergency medical transportation and interpreter fraud.
Guilty plea and penalties
Takhal entered guilty pleas to two felony theft‑related counts in a Minneapolis courtroom, according to FOX 9. The charges were filed earlier in 2024 and stem from claims submitted to Minnesota's Medical Assistance program for rides and interpreter services that prosecutors say never actually happened.
FOX 9 reports that under the plea deal, Takhal is expected to be ordered to pay more than $300,000 in restitution, with a formal sentencing date set for October.
How prosecutors say the scheme worked
The case is part of a broader investigation nicknamed PITSTOP‑66, detailed by the Minnesota Attorney General's Office. Investigators say that between 2019 and 2021, defendants used stolen and fabricated identities to file thousands of claims for non‑emergency medical transportation and interpretation services.
According to the Minnesota Attorney General's Office, Takhal and her co‑defendants allegedly steered predominantly Somali‑American residents of Faribault to clinics roughly 50 to 60 miles away. Prosecutors say the distance was the point, with trips arranged and billed in a way that took advantage of Medicaid reimbursement rules and maximized payments for rides and interpreter work that were often not provided as claimed.
The same announcement notes that eight people were charged in May 2024 and that PITSTOP‑66 has drawn in interpreters, drivers, and clinic staff as investigators follow the money trail.
State response: payment holds and pre‑payment review
As the probe has widened, state officials have moved to clamp down on high‑risk Medicaid payments while the investigations play out. Governor Tim Walz announced steps in October 2025 giving the Department of Human Services authority to suspend or scrutinize fee‑for‑service claims before paying them, with updated pre‑payment review guidance rolled out in late January.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services says that under this authority it can place payments on hold when there is a credible allegation of fraud, keeping state dollars in park while cases are investigated.
Broader fallout
The PITSTOP‑66 investigation has already produced dozens of arrests and convictions, with alleged losses nearing $2.6 million, according to the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Prosecutors accuse the network of billing Medicaid for services that were never provided or did not qualify for reimbursement under program rules.
The Minnesota Department of Commerce has said more prosecutions and civil recovery efforts are likely as investigators keep digging, and the case has put fresh scrutiny on clinics, interpreter agencies and transportation providers that bill the Medicaid system.
What this means for victims and providers
Court records and reporting indicate that many of the identities tied to the bogus claims belonged to Somali‑American residents of Faribault who never received the care that was billed in their names. One interpreter was alleged to have arranged thousands of rides to metro‑area clinics, according to Minnesota Reformer.
Advocates and prosecutors say the ongoing cases are intended to claw back public money and shield vulnerable patients from fraud that targets their identities as much as state coffers. At the same time, tighter pre‑payment reviews and suspensions carry a real risk for legitimate providers, who can find their cash flow suddenly frozen while disputes and investigations get sorted out.
