In a recent story coming out of Anoka County, a 59-year-old man from Plymouth has been arrested and charged with stealing more than $100,000 from a Blaine car dealership. He faces one charge of theft by swindle and could spend up to 20 years in prison if convicted. He may also be ordered to pay $100,000 in fines, too.
Although many of us in Minnesota may not think of theft as a serious crime, the police and prosecutors certainly consider it to be. Many times a charge of theft is considered a felony, which means at least a year in prison, fines and a very serious criminal record. Even after an offender gets out of prison, many people may be reluctant to trust the offender enough to rent to or hire him or her. This is why it is so important to actively fight charges with the help of a criminal defense lawyer.
According to the complaint, the man had been working with the car dealership since January 2009, though it appears he was not considered an employee. The nature of his business relationship was that he would buy and sell cars that the dealership had funded. He would pay the dealership 40 percent of the profits and the dealership was also expected to pay 40 percent of the fees associated with each car, too.
There was concern that the man had been stealing from the dealership after there were some incongruities between the information the Plymouth man provided and what the auction companies who sold the cars were providing. Police claim that the Plymouth man then admitted to stealing when confronted by the owner.
Source: WCCO 4, “Charges: Man Swindled $100K+ From Blaine Auto Company,” Aug. 16, 2013