A St. Paul healthcare business owner appeared in federal court on Friday, May 22, 2026, charged with stealing millions through a fraudulent Medicaid billing scheme.
Sharmaine Meadows, owner of Cradle of Love in St. Paul, allegedly submitted $4.3 million in false claims to Medicaid over more than five years, according to federal authorities.
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Prosecutors said a portion of the billings requested reimbursement for medical services that were never actually provided to patients.
Broader Crackdown
The charges come amid a broader federal crackdown in Minnesota.
Just one day earlier, prosecutors announced indictments against 15 other individuals accused of stealing over $90 million from Medicaid.
Among them is Muhammad Omar, who was captured Thursday after attempting to evade FBI agents by jumping from a fourth-story balcony.
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Prosecutors alleged Omar and an accomplice fraudulently obtained more than $3 million from Medicaid, including billing for housing assistance for a deceased individual.
Meadows did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the charges.
"This is just the beginning," said Colin McDonald, assistant attorney general.
The federal government indicated these recent legal actions represent a coordinated strategy to eliminate systemic healthcare fraud and retrieve misappropriated funds for taxpayers.
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"If you somehow get money that goes out the door that doesn't belong to you, the FBI's going to find you, put you in handcuffs and prosecutors are going to throw you in jail," warned Andrew Ferguson, chairman of the Federal Trade Commission.
