Shakopee man sentenced for role in $3.1 million ponzi scheme
Shakopee man is sentenced for role in $3.1 million ponzi scheme
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Shakopee man is sentenced for role in $3.1 million ponzi scheme
After his arrest, Ray Brewer claimed he saved several soldiers from a fire while serving in the Navy, but later admitted, "these were both lies meant to curry favor with law enforcement."
A federal jury has awarded a record $564 million in damages to victims of a massive Ponzi scheme by Minnesota businessman Tom Petters.
Last week a judge granted a motion to freeze the couple's assets. Jason and Angela Bullard have one more day to give the court the estimated value of all property, along with how much investors say they are owed.
"They're alleging a very classic Ponzi scheme, much modeled after [Bernie] Madoff," attorney Doug Kelley said.
The Department of Justice announced Wednesday that the money will be distributed to approximately 364 people worldwide. This money is in addition to the $16 million that was initially distributed to victims.
Sixty-eight-year-old James Nickels earlier pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Prosecutors say Nickels convinced family, friend and neighbors to invest in his sham business.
About $16.4 million stolen by Tom Petters has now been returned to 364 investors.
Federal authorities say a Minnesota man accused of bilking investors of more than $1 million has pleaded guilty.
A Twin Cities chiropractor who has already spent time in prison for a Ponzi scheme is going back for the same crime.
A St. Paul man is charged with stealing more than $350,000 from a Minnesota brewery, and stealing almost as much from others in an alleged Ponzi scheme.
A 40-year-old man pleaded guilty Tuesday to stealing from investors in his wealth management company and using the money to buy a luxury SUV and run a Ponzi-style scheme.
Jury selection begins Monday for the trial of former Minnesota Vikings Stu Voigt. Voigt and his business partner Jeffrey Gardner head to federal court this week for allegedly bilking investors out of millions of dollars. The two face several criminal charges in connection to a real estate scheme between 2005 and 2007.
More than seven years after the financial collapse of one Minnesota's most powerful businessmen, victims are still waiting for money.
Former Minnesota Vikings tight end Stu Voigt has pleaded not guilty in an alleged Ponzi scheme. Voigt entered his plea Thursday after being indicted earlier in April on charges of conspiracy and fraud.
Two Minnesota men, including a former Minnesota Vikings tight end, are charged with running a Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors out of millions of dollars. The U.S. Attorney's office says 66-year-old Stu Voigt and 61-year-old Jeffery Gardner face several criminal charges in connection to a real estate scheme between 2005 and 2007.
A Eden Prairie man plead guilty Wednesday to using his financial planning firm to operate a Ponzi scheme to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars from former clients, according to U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. Sean Meadows, 41, plead guilty to three counts of mail fraud, seven counts of wire fraud and money laundering offenses.
Federal prosecutors say a Minnesota man has pleaded guilty to defrauding investors of more than $19 million. Fifty-five-year-old Tyrone Herman of St. Anthony entered his plea Friday in U.S. District Court. According to court documents, Herman claimed he could purchase small appliances from manufacturers and wholesalers at below-retail market rates.
The final three defendants have been sentenced in the $3.65 billion Ponzi scheme led by Minnesota businessman Tom Petters. U.S. District Judge Richard Kyle handed down a 7 ½-year sentence Friday to hedge fund manager Bruce Prevost for his role in misleading investors in Palm Beach Capital Management, a Florida hedge fund that put money into Petters' scheme before it collapsed in 2008.
The man found guilty of orchestrating Minnesota's largest Ponzi scheme finally admitted on Wednesday that he did it. Tom Petters was in U.S. District Court in St. Paul on Wednesday trying to get 20 years shaved off his prison sentence.
Convicted Minnesota businessman Tom Petters returns to federal court this week to try to shorten his 50-year prison term. The attempt to get 20 years removed might be Petters' last chance to go after a lighter sentence.
Frank Elroy Vennes Jr. was sentenced to 180 months in prison on Friday, in connection with fraudulently raising money through hedge funds for investment in Petters Company. Vennes was a long-time associate of Thomas J. Petters, the Minnesota businessman convicted in 2009 of orchestrating a $3.65 billion Ponzi scheme.
Despite owing his victims more than $1 million, a Twin Cities chiropractor twice convicted of fraud again has his license to practice. Fifteen years ago, Randy Miland served two years in prison for a Ponzi scheme. He later served another three years for a real estate investment scam. A judge ordered Miland to pay more than one-and-a-half million dollars in restitution. That hasn't happened.
The fourth man convicted in a $194 million Ponzi scheme - the second largest in Minnesota history - was sentenced Monday to 240 months in federal prison. According to the U.S. Attorney General's office, 75-year-old Patrick Kiley of Burnsville was convicted last June of 12 counts of wire and mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. Kiley - along with ring leader Trevor Cook, Jason Bo-Alan Beckman, Gerald Joseph Durand and Christopher Pettengill – were all solely and jointly ordered to pay $155,359,411 in restitution to their victims.
A former associate of convicted Minnesota businessman Tom Petters has pleaded guilty to lying to investors in a $3.65 billion Ponzi scheme.
The Minnesota Lynx fell to the Connecticut Sun 90-89 on Monday night. Brittney Griner scored a season-high 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Kennedy Burke added 16 points off the bench, including two 3-pointers in the final three minutes for the Sun.
The Elk River City Council on Monday night voted against an ordinance amendment that would have allowed for a proposed data center project in the community.
Skip the latest fad diet. The best way to manage your weight might already be sitting on your plate.
A 43-year-old woman accused of leaving threatening voicemails for Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth via voicemail has pleaded guilty to threats of violence, according to court documents filed on Monday.
Belgium defeated the U.S. Men's National Team 4-1 on Monday night in the World Cup round of 16 knockout match in Seattle, ending the Americans' hopes of reaching the quarterfinals for the first time in 24 years.
A lawsuit filed against the City of Eagan is asking a Minnesota court to void the Twin Cities suburb's data center moratorium.
The Minneapolis Police Department is investigating after a 17-year-old boy and three men were injured in a shooting on the city's northeast side early Monday.
Police are investigating after a man was arrested and another was injured in a shooting in Oakdale, Minnesota, on Thursday, according to officials.
Dozens of Twin Cities hospice workers are walking the picket line Monday in a one-day strike after nearly a year of negotiations for an inaugural union contract.
A 20-year-old man is dead after being pulled from the water near Lake St. Croix Beach, Minnesota, on Sunday, authorities said.
A man drowned during a boating excursion on a northern Minnesota lake Friday evening, authorities said.
After 115 years, a small-town meat market in Minnesota is calling it quits.
The Minnesota attorney general said he is suing two Mankato residents after they allegedly put rat poison outside their home in an effort to stop dogs from urinating on their lawn.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says around 2 million eggs will be delivered to "food banks and community organizations" in Minnesota as part of a settlement with three major egg producers.
A 20-year-old man suffered life-threatening injuries Wednesday evening after authorities say he slammed into a deputy's squad car in northern Minnesota.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has transferred $1 million from his former congressional account to a super PAC supporting Michael Alfonso, his 26-year-old son-in-law, who is running for Duffy's old Wisconsin seat in an Aug. 11 primary.
For many Minnesotans, the road to the Fourth of July starts with a short drive across the St. Croix River to Wisconsin to stock up on fireworks. The kinds of pyrotechnics that can be legally ignited in Minnesota might be surprising.
Three children died on Geneva Lake in Wisconsin after a boat capsized during a severe storm Friday, Lake Geneva police said.
Seven people are without a permanent home and multiple pets are dead after a fire in Ashland, Wisconsin, on Friday morning, according to the city's fire department.
Rice Lake, Wisconsin, police officers are investigating after a swatting incident at the Marshfield Medical Center Thursday afternoon.
Baseball fans might remember the Metrodome's iconic blue seats, and now in Atwater, Minnesota, spectators can once again grab a blue seat and watch a game.
Tucked away in the Midway neighborhood in St. Paul is a community treasure many have come to love and respect.
What started as a small fundraiser following one of Joe's surgeries at Gillette Children's has grown into a community tradition that has raised nearly $100,000 for the hospital.
A trip to the video store was once a weekly ritual, and now one Minnesota movie lover is trying to bring that experience back.
Betty and Kermit Eastman, both 99, celebrated their 80th wedding anniversary on June 6 — a milestone so rare that on average only one couple in the U.S. reaches it each year.
A 43-year-old woman accused of leaving threatening voicemails for Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth via voicemail has pleaded guilty to threats of violence, according to court documents filed on Monday.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has transferred $1 million from his former congressional account to a super PAC supporting Michael Alfonso, his 26-year-old son-in-law, who is running for Duffy's old Wisconsin seat in an Aug. 11 primary.
President Trump is set to become the first U.S. president to go to Turkey since former President Barack Obama.
We are taking a closer look at a decision the Supreme Court made this past week. They ruled that President Trump's executive order to end birthright citizenship violated the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship regardless of the parents' immigration status. Immigration law professor Ana Pottraz Acosta talks about the decision on WCCO Sunday Morning at 10:30 a.m.
President Trump held separate calls with Russia's Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss ending the war.
For many Minnesotans, the road to the Fourth of July starts with a short drive across the St. Croix River to Wisconsin to stock up on fireworks. The kinds of pyrotechnics that can be legally ignited in Minnesota might be surprising.
Insurance experts say hail damage claims that once averaged $10,000–$15,000 now routinely reach $40,000–$60,000, even as many policies have shifted away from full replacement coverage.
Hundreds of workers, employed by Delaware North Company to serve food and drinks, say they are fighting for livable wages and healthcare benefits.
Target is tapping designer and TV personality Isaac Mizrahi for a newly created role as creative director at large as the discounter aims to reclaim its reputation for stylish clothing on a budget.
Target is voluntarily recalling two types of baby wipes due to concerns that the products may be contaminated with bacteria that may cause "serious and life-threatening infections," the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday.
A 43-year-old woman accused of leaving threatening voicemails for Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth via voicemail has pleaded guilty to threats of violence, according to court documents filed on Monday.
The Minneapolis Police Department is investigating after a 17-year-old boy and three men were injured in a shooting on the city's northeast side early Monday.
Police are investigating after a man was arrested and another was injured in a shooting in Oakdale, Minnesota, on Thursday, according to officials.
Neighbors along a three-block stretch in St Louis Park, Minnesota, say vandals smashed car windows early Sunday morning along Quentin Avenue.
Police say 16-year-old boy was killed in a shooting at a park Sunday night in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.
Skip the latest fad diet. The best way to manage your weight might already be sitting on your plate.
Dozens of Twin Cities hospice workers are walking the picket line Monday in a one-day strike after nearly a year of negotiations for an inaugural union contract.
As Mayor Jacob Frey pledges a crackdown at open-air drug markets in Minneapolis, WCCO found brutal honesty about the situation from people who say they actively participate in the illicit trade.
Noah Walden says he didn't notice anything unusual while eating. About three days later, he began experiencing stomach pain that continued to worsen over the next several days.
A Blaine woman from Liberia calls herself an accidental inspiration. The busy wife and mother who runs a nonprofit helping children in Liberia started coming to Burn Boot Camp after an emotional slump.
AI-generated actor Tilly Norwood is set to star in her first feature film, with her creator saying that "art will be imitating life."
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce were married as they celebrated their wedding with hundreds of guests Friday at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
We have an action-packed weekend, with lots of celebrations in store across the state for the Fourth of July.
Tucked away in the Midway neighborhood in St. Paul is a community treasure many have come to love and respect.
Legendary musician Lionel Richie is postponing two upcoming concerts after he cut his performance short in St. Paul, Minnesota, earlier this week.
The Minnesota Lynx fell to the Connecticut Sun 90-89 on Monday night. Brittney Griner scored a season-high 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Kennedy Burke added 16 points off the bench, including two 3-pointers in the final three minutes for the Sun.
Belgium defeated the U.S. Men's National Team 4-1 on Monday night in the World Cup round of 16 knockout match in Seattle, ending the Americans' hopes of reaching the quarterfinals for the first time in 24 years.
After the Twins sent him down, Wallner's batting average bottomed out in late May. In June, it gradually rose with a bunch of big hits along the way.
In the U.S., 72% of golfers are men and 28% are women, according to the National Golf Foundation. But women are now driving 60% of the growth in the industry. A Minnesota golfer who started a women's league is among those leading the charge.
Bars across the Twin Cities area say FIFA World Cup games have caused revenue to skyrocket.
Mike Lindell, who leads the Minnesota Republican gubernatorial primary at 27%, is proposing conditional non-resident visas for undocumented immigrants with no criminal record — a position that differs from the Trump administration's approach.
Mike Lindell says he called President Trump before entering the Minnesota governor's race and asked for an endorsement, but Trump has not given one — though he said in December that Lindell deserves to be governor.
One of the most-watched primary match-ups pits Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan against U.S. Congresswoman Angie Craig in the race for the DFL nomination for U.S. Senate.
With six weeks before the primary, the stakes are building in the U.S. Senate contest contest between two of Minnesota's brightest DFL stars: Congresswoman Angie Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.
Fifteen people, most of them Minnesotans, were arrested and charged last week, accused of impeding Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
Baseball fans might remember the Metrodome's iconic blue seats, and now in Atwater, Minnesota, spectators can once again grab a blue seat and watch a game.
It's a lake cruise in the middle of town, and there's more than pelicans on the Pelican Breeze tour in Albert Lea, Minnesota.
Currie, Minnesota, is truly small-town America. The population hovers at just over 200. But on the northern outskirts, you'll happen upon a place with plenty of bells and whistles: End-O-Line Railroad Park and Museum
School's out, summer's here, and if you're heading to the lake on Highway 10, you may just stumble upon hidden treasure.
Nearly 40 years ago, a building was sent over piece by piece from Norway to a farm in Chippewa County, Minnesota. It's one of the only stabburs in the United States.
Skip the latest fad diet. The best way to manage your weight might already be sitting on your plate.
There's no doubt your air conditioning unit is working overtime this week as oppressive heat blankets Minnesota.
In every corner of the metro, and across Minnesota, you'll find construction crews ripping up roads and rebuilding bridges. WCCO looks into whether the piles of rubble they create can get a second life.
Water beckons Minnesotans this time of year, especially our lakes. But something in it can turn us away, even if other animals and organisms need it.
The latest data shows it's at 331.2 million barrels of oil.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Tuesday night.
A look at the newest addition to the polar bear population at St. Paul, Minnesota's Como Zoo.
From food shelves to school programs, our team is proud to serve where it matters most.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new food, drinks and vendors for 2025.
There's a slight chance for severe weather in parts of western, southwestern and central Minnesota on Tuesday night, NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer said.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
A line of showers and possible storms will move from northwest Minnesota into areas of western Minnesota on Monday evening, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer. Parts of the state may see some severe weather on Tuesday.
The Twin Cities will stay mostly cloudy late Monday before a line of storms passes through overnight, says meteorologist Chris Shaffer
Storm chances look to return this work week, with potentially heavy local rainfall possible, WCCO meteorologist Mike Augustyniak reports.
Skip the latest fad diet. The best way to manage your weight might already be on your plate. In this Good Question, Jeff Wagner cooks up a healthy plan for how to approach a meal.
There's a slight chance for severe weather in parts of western, southwestern and central Minnesota on Tuesday night, NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer said.
Health, the environment, and money were major talking points in Elk River on Monday night as the city, like dozens of others in Minnesota, debated how to handle data centers. As Ashley Grams reports, the City Council effectively said no to a proposed data center.
Lake Minnetonka was cleaned up on Monday as Minnesota's busiest lake wrapped up its busiest weekend of the year. Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield was on the water for the trash and treasure hunt.
A line of showers and possible storms will move from northwest Minnesota into areas of western Minnesota on Monday evening, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer. Parts of the state may see some severe weather on Tuesday.