An Ohio attorney has warned that a large-scale Medicaid fraud scheme may be operating within parts of the state’s Somali community, arguing that the recently exposed social services scandal in Minnesota represents only a small fraction of a broader national problem.
Mehek Cooke, a lawyer and political commentator, claims the alleged activity in Ohio has been occurring for more than a decade and involves millions of dollars in public funds.
Her comments follow the Minnesota Medicaid scandal, in which federal and state investigators uncovered widespread fraud involving nonprofit providers who allegedly billed Medicaid for services never delivered, resulting in the misuse of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars and multiple criminal prosecutions.
According to Cooke, healthcare providers have privately told her they were pressured to participate in fraudulent arrangements tied to Ohio’s Medicaid home healthcare system. She alleges the scheme centres on family members being paid to care for elderly relatives who do not genuinely require such assistance, with some doctors allegedly approving claims without proper assessment in exchange for kickbacks. Payments can reportedly reach tens of thousands of dollars per individual each year.
Cooke argues the issue stems from systemic weaknesses rather than any single community, saying Ohio’s Medicaid waiver programme is particularly vulnerable due to limited oversight, a lack of independent assessments, and few random checks. She claims some beneficiaries are coached to misrepresent their conditions in order to qualify.
Calling for statewide and national audits, Cooke said the system was designed to help vulnerable people but is now being exploited, placing strain on taxpayers and diverting funds from those genuinely in need.
