St. Paul Accountant Sentenced In Embezzlement Scheme

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A St. Paul accountant was sentenced to more than three years in prison Friday for a million dollar embezzlement scheme to which he pleaded guilty.

According to his plea and court documents, over a 20 year period beginning in 1995, 65-year-old John Rowan stole more than $1.2 million from his employer by issuing 150 unauthorized checks to himself. Rowan was the company's accountant and controller.

Rowan pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in January and was sentenced to 41 months in prison Friday. Rowan also received a sentence of three years of supervised release and is ordered to pay restitution equal to the amount stolen.