Fraud and neglect investigation launched at 3 Crystal group homes

CRYSTAL, Minn — Three group homes in Crystal are now under investigation by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Crystal Police Department. There are some egregious accusations of maltreatment and questions concerning potential fraud.

Crystal has 90 group homes in its city limits, and police say the ones run by Empathy Home Care get more police calls than the rest combined.

Investigators from the Minnesota Department of Human Services visited Empathy Home Care in Crystal on Monday, after police last week raided the company’s three group homes operated in the city.

“It came to attention for us because we knew we were getting called back to the same residence for the same issues,” said Assistant Crystal Police Chief Brian Hubbard.

Hubbard said their department, in a 14-month span, received 452 calls for service, which he said is an astronomical number.

“Clearly would suggest there is a problem there somewhere,” he said.

Crystal Police have already been involved in maltreatment investigations. 

State records show two findings of maltreatment substantiated by the Health Department, including one in 2022 resulting in death. That case led to a wrongful death lawsuit which was settled.

On top of those cases, last July, Hubbard says officers responded to the group home on Colorado Avenue for a woman who overdosed. 

He says 31-year-old Shaylah Brown died, and that the Empathy Home Care staff member working that night didn’t even attempt CPR nor was trained in it.

“Certainly you would expect in a facility like that, you certainly would expect that they are going to attempt life-saving measures,” Hubbard said. “I would argue that is part of what you’re paying these people to be able to do.”

Empathy Home Care CEO Fatou Jallow, in November, signed an agreement with the state Board of Executives for Long-term Services and Supports to cease and desist from being an assisted living director while she appeals maltreatment findings.

The latest investigation involves the Attorney General’s Office, according to multiple search warrants filed publicly, after Crystal Police raised questions about billing for Empathy Home Care, which brings in about $6 million each year through Medicaid reimbursements.

“We believe that the company was billing for days when we know the individual wasn’t there – either because they had been reported as missing or were in a hospital facility,” Hubbard said.

According to the search warrants, the death of Shaylah Brown is being reviewed by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office as possible criminal maltreatment.

Empathy owner Fatou Jallow refused to comment.