Attorney General Ellison files Medicaid fraud charges against former Mower County care coordinator

Charged with seven felony theft offenses for stealing more than $185K by billing for services not rendered, services not provided because the recipient had died, and services lacking any documentation

June 11, 2026 (SAINT PAUL) — Today, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) charged Jessica Jean Arneson with seven felony theft offenses for stealing more than $185,000 while working as a Medicaid care coordinator for Mower County.

 Between at least May 2020 and August 2023, Arneson was employed as a care coordinator for the Mower County Department of Health and Human Services, located in Austin. As part of her job duties, she provided case management for qualified Medicaid recipients in Southern Minnesota, and the county contracted with Blue Plus to provide eligible services to county residents. The Medicaid code for case management authorizes reimbursement for the time case managers spend coordinating care for persons with behavioral health needs, for example, by connecting clients to services, advocating for client needs, and facilitating support services for client treatment. Arneson was supposed to prepare and submit documentation of her work that Mower County subsequently converted into claims and submitted to Blue Plus for payment. Mower County passed along part of the reimbursement to Arneson as wages.

An investigation by the MFCU found that Arneson billed for services that did not occur and that lacked any supporting documentation. Arneson’s billings were significantly higher than other care coordinators with similar caseloads while lacking this supporting documentation. At times, Arneson billed for services to clients who had left the State of Minnesota, and in other instances, Arneson billed for services for nearly 14 months after a recipient died. Throughout her scheme, Arneson documented over 1,800 hours in fraudulent time entries.

“My office has charged this case because our investigation uncovered probable cause that Arneson defrauded Medicaid, and we intend to prove it in court,” Attorney General Ellison said. “People who commit Medicaid fraud rob vulnerable people of care and services they need, steal money that taxpayers contribute to caring for others, and undermine public confidence in this vital program that keeps Minnesotans healthy. I’m very proud of the success of this unit and we will continue to investigate fraudsters and hold them accountable in every corner of Minnesota, without fear or favor.”

This case is investigated by Attorney General Ellison’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s State Fraud Unit (and its predecessor, the Commerce Fraud Bureau). Attorney General Ellison’s MFCU is prosecuting it.

Since 2019, Minnesota’s MFCU has secured more than 340 convictions for Medicaid fraud and has won $90 million in judgments and recoveries. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General has noted that Minnesota’s MFCU has secured more convictions than any state in the country with a similarly sized Medicaid budget. In May 2026, the Minnesota Legislature passed and Governor Walz signed the Medical Assistance Protection Act, which provides MFCU with new resources and stronger legal tools to continue holding Medicaid fraudsters accountable.

Attorney General Ellison’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit works to uncover, investigate, and prosecute individuals or organizations that steal from Medicaid and that exploit, neglect, or abuse vulnerable victims. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives 75% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $5,078,704 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2026. The remaining 25%, totaling $1,692,898 for FY 2026, is funded by the State of Minnesota.