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.
Democrats are rethinking their midterm election strategy due to the controversial immigration crackdown in Minnesota.
Another man has been convicted in the sexual assault of a woman at a central Minnesota college.
The 2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees were revealed on "CBS Mornings" on Wednesday. See the full list.
Admission and parking prices for the Minnesota State Fair will remain the same in 2026, organizers announced.
Wednesday will bring light snow to the Twin Cities and other parts of Minnesota before a sharp turn to dangerous cold.
Democrats are rethinking their midterm election strategy due to the controversial immigration crackdown in Minnesota.
Admission and parking prices for the Minnesota State Fair will remain the same in 2026, organizers announced.
The Dakota County Sheriff's Office says the crash happened at approximately 3:23 p.m. in Greenvale Township.
According to the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, nearly 60% of the state's total labor force and employment growth came from foreign-born workers from 2019 to 2023.
Off-duty police officers in the Twin Cities have been "targeted" by federal agents looking for proof of U.S. citizenship, Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said Tuesday.
Democrats are rethinking their midterm election strategy due to the controversial immigration crackdown in Minnesota.
Another man has been convicted in the sexual assault of a woman at a central Minnesota college.
Lutsen Mountains is known for great runs and great views of Lake Superior, but it might not be a view you'd want to enjoy for five hours while stuck on a ski lift.
Walz's office was served subpoenas along with the offices of Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Attorney General Keith Ellison Tuesday afternoon.
Faith leaders held a news conference Tuesday in the Twin Cities to announce the participation of "hundreds of Minnesota places of worship" in "A Day of Truth and Freedom" — which calls for people to not work, shop or go to school this Friday.
A Wisconsin man accused of sending the state Supreme Court's chief justice intimidating emails has been sentenced to probation.
Some schools in Minnesota and Wisconsin are delayed or closed on Tuesday as early morning rain makes the roads slick.
A western Wisconsin town is reveling in the national spotlight.
When he's not playing zone or man, Hall is carving it up at local hills. He has qualified for multiple professional snowboard competitions.
Two people were killed and another hurt in a crash in western Wisconsin Tuesday afternoon.
At Moth Oddities in northeast Minneapolis, volunteers moved through stacks of boxes as donations continued to pour in for families impacted by the increased presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the city.
Many people who serve in the U.S. military find it hard to ask for assistance when they've been trained to help and serve others.
Food Bank Eatery in North Minneapolis provides free meals for children, who may have little to eat after the pause of SNAP benefits for many in the community.
Firefighters are continuing a 44-year tradition that happens every year north of the Twin Cities.
It was a scary moment in the Twin Cities over the weekend, as a trailer hauling sled dogs turned over on Interstate 494 in Minnetonka.
Democrats are rethinking their midterm election strategy due to the controversial immigration crackdown in Minnesota.
The president says he will hold meetings with allies there to discuss his push to acquire Greenland.
President Trump told world leaders, CEOs and policymakers at the Davos economic forum that he wouldn't use force to take control of Greenland.
A well-known name and voice in the Twin Cities is joining the race to represent Minnesota in the United States senate.
There are calls tonight for a pastor to step down because of his role as acting director of ICE field office in St. Paul. Ubah Ali has the demands and potential charges for the protesters who stormed into a Sunday service.
Admission and parking prices for the Minnesota State Fair will remain the same in 2026, organizers announced.
It's a business model picking up steam across the Twin Cities. For instance, all the major sports venues in town, like Target Field and U.S. Bank Stadium, no longer accept cash.
WCCO gathered data on core staple items from Aldi in Apple Valley, Target in Fridley and Cub Foods in north Minneapolis.
Minnesota drivers have something to celebrate this holiday — a price drop at the pump.
With costs still high and budgets stretched, getting smarter with money matters more than ever.
Another man has been convicted in the sexual assault of a woman at a central Minnesota college.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison no longer faces a trespassing charge stemming from an arrest in Florida earlier this month.
Authorities are investigating after a 27-year-old man was shot in Alexandria, Minnesota early Tuesday.
In an exclusive interview from her jail cell, Aimee Bock defended her conduct in Minnesota's Feeding Our Future fraud case, but admitted regrets.
Outside of the Twin Cities, communities in greater Minnesota are feeling the impact of ICE activity. A week ago, hundreds of protesters confronted federal agents at a Somali mall in St. Cloud.
Parents looking to get their children vaccinated are navigating confusing times. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced new guidelines on the shots it recommends for kids. But the Minnesota Department of Health disagrees with the changes.
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development says it began distributing payments on Friday to over 2,600 Minnesotans.
Just one day after dropping his bid for reelection, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said the state's paid family leave program is one of the most transformational bills the state has ever passed.
Roughly 12,000 Minnesotans have already applied for the state's new paid family leave program, according to an update by the Department of Employment and Economic Development.
It's a beauty technique that's exploding. Depending on your age, you might not have heard of it. It's called micro-needling.
The 2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees were revealed on "CBS Mornings" on Wednesday. See the full list.
Here is everything you need to know about how to watch and stream the 2026 Golden Globes.
Bob Weir wrote or co-wrote and sang lead vocals on Grateful Dead classics including "Sugar Magnolia," "One More Saturday Night" and "Mexicali Blues."
Here are the significant books, films and characters joining the list of works in the public domain on Jan. 1, 2026.
Isiah Whitlock Jr. is perhaps best known for his role as state Sen. R. Clayton "Clay" Davis on HBO's "The Wire."
Keyonte George scored a career-high 43 points, Jusuf Nurkic recorded his second career triple-double, and the Utah Jazz rallied to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-122.
John Mobley Jr. scored 26 points and made five 3-pointers, Bruce Thornton had 23 points, seven rebounds and four steals, and Ohio State beat Minnesota 82-74 in overtime.
Cole Caufield scored the winner with 15 seconds remaining to lift the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night.
"I'm honestly so proud to be a part of the group of Minnesotans representing our country at the games," said Greta Myers, who recently punched her ticket to the Olympics.
Carlos Beltrán was a nine-time All-Star during his 20-year MLB career. Andruw Jones was a five-time All-Star and won 10 Gold Gloves.
You have seen the protests against ICE on the street, but Minnesota's battle against the federal surge is also in federal court.
As residents in the Twin Cities protest in the streets against ICE and federal immigration enforcement actions, Minnesota's battle against the federal surge is also playing out in the federal court system.
The shooting death of Renee Good by an ICE agent has raised several legal questions.
The fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent has raised many legal questions. Constitutional law professor David Schultz, who has taught a class on police, criminal and civil procedure, has some answers.
The DFL race pits two prominent party leaders, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig, against each other.
On Dec. 9, 1965, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" debuted on CBS, and it became an instant classic. Lee Jenkins' home is proof that the show is still a hit six decades later.
Holiday lights are on full display across the state right now, and just south of the Twin Cities you'll find a Christmas light show that's been around for more than half a century.
The story begins years ago when the city acquired one of the T-38 Talon Thunderbird jets from the Air Force.
The holidays are upon us, and in the town of Kellogg, Minnesota, you'll find a toy store unlike any other.
With the holidays fast approaching, and lutefisk on the menu for many families, one Minnesota town has the distinction of being called the "Lutefisk Capital of the Country."
It's a saying Minnesotans and Wisconsinites know well: "There's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing." The problem is that even proper clothing might not be enough to withstand the bitter chill headed for the bold north.
Parents looking to get their children vaccinated are navigating confusing times. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced new guidelines on the shots it recommends for kids. But the Minnesota Department of Health disagrees with the changes.
New polling shows most voters do not think last week's deadly ICE shooting was justified. But the Trump administration thinks so and suggested that Renee Good was a domestic terrorist. Experts say that's not a label to be taken lightly.
ICE is making arrests in Minnesota right next to shoppers grabbing groceries. The tense encounters are happening at places like Target, Walmart and other private businesses.
It's a question many people have been asking: What is the cost of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Minnesota? WCCO was able to get some numbers.
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.
A suspect was taken into custody after an attack on Pearl Street Mall in Boulder on June 1 in which there were 15 people and a dog who were victims. The suspect threw Molotov cocktails that burned some of the victims, who were part of a march for Israeli hostages.
After a round of organized snow on Wednesday, arctic air will pour in.
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.
Wednesday will bring light snow to the Twin Cities and other parts of Minnesota before a sharp turn to dangerous cold.
Wednesday will bring light snow to the Twin Cities and other parts of Minnesota before a sharp turn to dangerous cold.
It's a saying Minnesotans and Wisconsinites know well: "There's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing." The problem is that even proper clothing might not be enough to withstand the bitter chill headed for the bold north.
The Justice Department served subpoenas to the offices of several Minnesota officials, President Trump is in Switzerland for the World Economic Forum and more.
After a round of organized snow on Wednesday, arctic air will pour in.
The federal government is using the courts to try to get top DFL leaders to hand over information, plus more of the day’s top stories.
The president says he will hold meetings with allies there to discuss his push to acquire Greenland.
Physics and fun aren't two words you usually would put together. But at the University of Minnesota Physics Force Show, they're ready to show you science isn't scary — it's actually entertaining.