(NewsNation) — A Maine lawmaker is calling for an investigation into the director of a health services company accused of defrauding the state’s Medicaid program while running for office in Somalia.
Abdullahi Ali, in an interview with Kenyan media, openly discussed contributing money back to Somalia and paramilitary forces. In the interview, first reported by The Maine Wire in March, said:
“When I was away and abroad, the financial contributions I was sending back were being used to support the forces for buying bullets, ammunition and food,” Ali posted to his own presidential media page.
State Sen. Matt Harrington, R, has demanded an investigation from Gov. Janet Mills.
“To add insult to injury, the founder of Gateway Community Services has openly said that he has funneled money into Somali elections and paramilitary groups,” Harrington told NewsNation. “And it’s just an absolute slap in the face to every Maine taxpayer that these funds that could be used to help Maine people, Maine veterans, Maine senior citizens, Maine families who are struggling are being funneled to Somalia directly.”
Christopher Bernardini, who describes himself as a former “billing guru” of Gateway Community Services, a health services contractor that he says defrauded Maine’s Medicaid program. Bernardini worked for Gateway from May 2018 until April 2025 as a program coordinator.
Bernardini alleges Gateway oversaw a system in which false records were filed about client visits. He alleges an electronic monitoring system designed to track movements was manipulated to make it seem like field staff were visiting low-income and disabled clients, when in reality they did not come within miles of the clients’ homes.
They then charged taxpayers for providing services that were never performed, according to Bernardini.
“I learned that he was running for president of Jubaland, which is like a small country inside of Somalia, and that he had admitted to funding the militia groups over there,” Bernardini told NewsNation.
After NewsNation’s investigation, Bernardini had a call Tuesday with the Oversight Committee about his experience at Gateway.
Ali posted a statement on X late last week to respond to coverage of the story on conservative news outlets NewsMax and Maine Wire, the latter of which has covered the story extensively.
“I make no apologies for building a successful business in Maine, working hard to earn a living, earning my PhD, giving back to my Maine community, and running for office in Jubaland,” Ali wrote. “I am proud to contribute my hard-earned $ to support my people back home. America is a nation of laws — you cannot change facts by fabricating false stories. I am a proud Somali American.”
NewsNation has reached out to Ali for comment multiple times, even going personally to Gateway in an attempt to speak with him.
NewsNation has reached out to Gov. Janet Mills, the head of Maine’s Health and Human Services, for comment. The three Democratic Somali-Americans in the state’s House of Representatives have also so far declined to comment.
Another former Gateway employee, who asked to remain anonymous because they continue to work in Maine social services, also told NewsNation they saw records being manipulated.
“I saw many things happening that shouldn’t have been,” this second source said. “Timecards being manipulated to show services being provided they were not — and times also being manipulated.”
House oversight chair wants whistleblowers to expose fraud in state welfare programs
House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer said Tuesday alleged Medicaid fraud schemes appear to be part of a “very organized” operation spanning multiple states as his committee interviews whistleblowers about similar cases nationwide.
The Kentucky Republican praised NewsNation’s investigative reporting on allegations in Maine.
“It does appear that this is a very organized scheme in multiple states with groups of Somalis,” Comer said. “I would go out on a limb and say that I would say this is happening in other states, with other social programs, with other groups.”
Comer said the committee welcomes more whistleblowers and will grant them confidentiality. He called for tighter oversight of social programs, including SNAP, housing assistance and Medicaid, saying massive fraud exists throughout the system.
“There’s massive amounts of fraud in our social programs,” Comer said. “We don’t have the funds in Washington to continue to throw money at these social programs and not provide the oversight.”
The chairman said Congress must “tighten the guardrails” and require recertification for people receiving government benefits to ensure they remain eligible.