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.
An Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, man who admitted to having a rifle that belonged to the FBI during a federal operation in Minneapolis earlier this year is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday, according to court documents.
The son of Chiefs assistant coach Eric Bieniemy has been arrested and charged with a shooting that wounded his mother, Mia Bieniemy, according to authorities in Virginia.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he is considering calling a special session next month focusing on the wildfires that have devastated 72,500 acres of forest across the U.S. and Canada and community recovery.
In the heart of Minneapolis, Lakewood Cemetery's 200-plus acres bring people — living and dead — together.
.Jackson Koivun won the 3M Open by three strokes Sunday in only his third start as a professional, holding off Scottie Scheffler with a closing 5-under 66 for a tournament-record 25-under 259 total.
An Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, man who admitted to having a rifle that belonged to the FBI during a federal operation in Minneapolis earlier this year is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday, according to court documents.
In the heart of Minneapolis, Lakewood Cemetery's 200-plus acres bring people — living and dead — together.
.Jackson Koivun won the 3M Open by three strokes Sunday in only his third start as a professional, holding off Scottie Scheffler with a closing 5-under 66 for a tournament-record 25-under 259 total.
Employees at Punch-Out Gaming said the burglary happened overnight Saturday, with suspects taking between $30,000 and $50,000 worth of merchandise. Most of the stolen items were Pokémon cards.
A motorcyclist died in a crash Sunday morning on a southeastern Twin Cities highway, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he is considering calling a special session next month focusing on the wildfires that have devastated 72,500 acres of forest across the U.S. and Canada and community recovery.
Day trips will resume in some parts of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota on Monday. For local businesses, it's a lifeline.
Officials in northern Minnesota say some residents will be allowed to return to their homes as wildfire conditions improve.
Authorities in southern Minnesota are investigating a suspicious death after a woman reported she received a text from a man saying he had hurt her sister.
According to those familiar with the matter, the man who police say was fatally stabbed at an adult foster home in Stearns County, Minnesota, was working by himself when he was attacked.
A new lawsuit argues that Wisconsin's elections commission is wrongly blocking absentee voters from canceling their ballots and requesting new ones, with nearly 91,000 ballots already returned ahead of the Aug. 11 primary.
Madison, Wisconsin remains one of the only cities of its size without a police body camera program, leaving key moments of a fatal officer-involved shooting unrecorded.
The state Democratic Party is asking Wisconsin's elections commission to allow voters who already returned absentee ballots to cast new ones, after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez dropped out of the governor's race and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley rejoined it.
The effects of Minnesota's prolonged heat wave are becoming impossible to miss with several reports of fish kills.
Three new women's world records have been set at the Lumberjack World Championships in Hayward, Wisconsin.
After officials in Minnesota's capital city announced they would shut down encampments for those experiencing homelessness, the City Council approved more than $1 million to expand capacity at local shelters.
The city of St. Paul, Minnesota, is taking a stand and closing encampments amid growing concerns.
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.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he is considering calling a special session next month focusing on the wildfires that have devastated 72,500 acres of forest across the U.S. and Canada and community recovery.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he is considering calling a special session next month focusing on the wildfires that have devastated 72,500 acres of forest across the U.S. and Canada and community recovery.
Day trips will resume in some parts of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota on Monday, plus more of the day’s top stories.
Minnesota's 5th Congressional District is the most Democratic district in the state and in the entire country. In previous years, candidates running against Omar in the DFL primary raised millions of dollars, but that is not the case this year. Omar is facing several DFL challengers, none of whom has more than $100,000 in the bank, according to their last financial statements.
In the past few years, one of Minnesota's fiercest primary battles has been in the 5th Congressional District, which has been held since 2018 by Rep. Ilhan Omar.
Get ready to watch movies and television with clarity like never before. That's how industry experts are describing the latest TV technology now on sale exclusively at Best Buy.
A lottery player in Minnesota won a jackpot of more than $34 million last week, a record for the Lotto America game in the state.
The lawsuit accuses Loon of using "kid-friendly characters" to promote its vapes in flavors such as Cotton Candy, Strawberry Popsicle, Banana Taffy and Blue Razz Slushy.
A Wisconsin family lost their ten-month-old daughter after she swallowed a water bead. They blame Target and the water bead manufacturer for her death.
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.
An Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, man who admitted to having a rifle that belonged to the FBI during a federal operation in Minneapolis earlier this year is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday, according to court documents.
The son of Chiefs assistant coach Eric Bieniemy has been arrested and charged with a shooting that wounded his mother, Mia Bieniemy, according to authorities in Virginia.
Three people were killed and four others wounded in a shooting during a food festival at the Seattle Center near the Space Needle, police said. A suspect was in custody and another was being sought, they said.
Employees at Punch-Out Gaming said the burglary happened overnight Saturday, with suspects taking between $30,000 and $50,000 worth of merchandise. Most of the stolen items were Pokémon cards.
Authorities in southern Minnesota are investigating a suspicious death after a woman reported she received a text from a man saying he had hurt her sister.
Since May, more than 11,000 cases of illness caused by the parasite cyclospora have been reported in 41 states. This comes after the Trump administration drastically cut FDA and CDC staff, prompting one expert to call this summer's outbreaks "a national wake-up call."
The CDC will not renew a federal grant that provided the Aliveness Project roughly $450,000 a year for HIV testing, PrEP referrals and community outreach across Minnesota.
Here's how weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy could reduce worker illness and save companies money.
There are new accusations surrounding pollution problems at a battery recycling plant in Minnesota. An attorney says lead migration from Gopher Resource in Eagan poisoned some kids connected to workers.
Taylor Farms said none of its branded salads or kits contain the iceberg lettuce associated with the outbreak.
Paramount Skydance on Friday said it would delay the deal until as late as June 2027.
It's another action-packed weekend in Minnesota, with plenty of community celebrations.
This weekend, a Twin Cities theater company will be performing "Dear Evan Hansen," a musical that deals with themes of anxiety, depression and isolation. But they also feel it relates to what Minneapolis went through during Operation Metro Surge.
The ruling comes after a coalition of 12 states sued to block the deal, arguing it would harm consumers and the entertainment industry.
The Minnesota Yacht Club Festival is expected to bring thousands upon thousands each day to Harriet Island Regional Park in St. Paul between Friday and Sunday.
The son of Chiefs assistant coach Eric Bieniemy has been arrested and charged with a shooting that wounded his mother, Mia Bieniemy, according to authorities in Virginia.
.Jackson Koivun won the 3M Open by three strokes Sunday in only his third start as a professional, holding off Scottie Scheffler with a closing 5-under 66 for a tournament-record 25-under 259 total.
John Anderson, the former University of Minnesota baseball coach and Big Ten career victories leader, died Sunday.
Ryan Jeffers went 3 for 5 with three RBIs, Connor Prielipp threw 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball in his return from the injured list and the Minnesota Twins beat the Athletics 11-8 in the rubber match of a three-game series.
The Minnesota Twins have returned rookie left-hander Connor Prielipp from his rehab assignment to rejoin their injury-thinned rotation.
In the past few years, one of Minnesota's fiercest primary battles has been in the 5th Congressional District, which has been held since 2018 by Rep. Ilhan Omar.
Secretary of State Steve Simon says federal observers at the Aug. 11 primary will most likely be Justice Department attorneys, not immigration or border enforcement agents.
The investigations into the ICE killings of Renee Good, Alex Pretti and the shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celishave entered a critical stage.
The investigations into the ICE killings of Renee Good, Alex Pretti and the shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis have entered a critical stage.
There's less than a month to go before the Aug. 11 primary, and one of the most watched and competitive races is the DFL race for the nomination for U.S. Senate between Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig.
Thousands of pictures of Split Rock Lighthouse are taken each year. And oftentimes a little island appears in those photos. Ellingsen Island has developed a following of its own.
There's a scenic, nearly century-old spot in St. Cloud, Minnesota, where right now you'll find thousands of flowers in bloom.
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
The U.S. House just voted to make daylight saving time permanent. In Good Question, Jeff Wagner explains how that could impact Minnesota and why our last attempt at getting rid of it failed.
Get ready to watch movies and television with clarity like never before. That's how industry experts are describing the latest TV technology now on sale exclusively at Best Buy.
When you get home from work in the evening, your first thought may be dinner. You might fire up the stove or oven, you could also start a load of laundry. Not long after that, you're running the dishwasher. You may think you're being efficient, but your house during this heat wave disagrees.
It's one of Minnesota's rules of the road in which two is better than one. But Jodi from Lakeville emailed WCCO saying a lot of drivers don't seem to care about the law.
Catching a flight with just a carry-on can make travel feel easy. No need to check a bag and all your belongings stay with you. But quite often, that suddenly changes before boarding.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new foods for 2026.
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.
Humidity drops during the afternoon, making it feel better than Sunday, but still hot, WCCO meteorologist Lisa Meadows reports.
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.
The Twin Cities felt record-setting humidity early Monday with a dew point of 81%.
Humidity drops during the afternoon, making it feel better than Sunday, but still hot, WCCO meteorologist Joseph Dames reports.
Monday will start out extremely muggy has temps are set to rise again into the 90s, says meteorologist Joseph Dames.
Players Alexis "Lexi" Hart and Sarah Parsons, with the Love Minnesota team, share some background on what got them to this point in their careers.
Humidity drops during the afternoon, making it feel better than Sunday, but still hot, WCCO meteorologist Lisa Meadows reports.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he is considering calling a special session next month focusing on the wildfires that have devastated 72,500 acres of forest across the U.S. and Canada and community recovery.
The Twin Cities felt record-setting humidity early Monday with a dew point of 81%.
Gov. Tim Walz in a news conference on Monday said he's considering calling a special session in August focusing on the wildfires that have burned thousands of acres of forest in northern Minnesota.