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…