Minnesota judge’s ‘highly unusual’ decision tossing $7.2 million fraud verdict draws mounting scrutiny

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Lawmakers and the legal community are raising serious questions after a Minnesota judge took the uncommon step of overturning a unanimous jury verdict in a massive $7.2 million Medicaid fraud case — a move experts say is rarely seen in white-collar prosecutions.

The ruling, handed down late last month by Hennepin County Judge Sarah West, comes as Minnesota is engulfed in a series of major welfare and human-services fraud scandals that have drawn national attention and shaken confidence in the state’s oversight systems.

West’s decision has triggered broader doubts about Minnesota’s resolve to prosecute white-collar and welfare fraud at a time when billions in public funds could be vulnerable.

JaneAnne Murray, a University of Minnesota law prof