Charges: 37 Minnesota Victims Lost More Than $858K in South St. Paul Food Truck Scheme
SOUTH SAINT PAUL MN: A South St. Paul business owner is accused of taking more than $858,000 from dozens of Minnesota customers who paid for custom food trucks they allegedly never received, according to a criminal complaint filed in Dakota County.
Omar Alexis Emmanuel Cruz, 41, is charged with felony theft by swindle involving an aggregate value of more than $35,000. The charge carries a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $100,000.
According to the complaint, investigators identified 37 victims in Minnesota who suffered a combined loss of $858,631 between July 1, 2024, and Aug. 31, 2025.
South St. Paul police began receiving complaints from several families on June 30, 2025, regarding a business that purportedly built and sold custom food trucks.
The complaint alleges customers entered into contracts with Cruz and made down payments toward their food trucks. Customers who were willing to provide more cash upfront were allegedly told doing so could result in an earlier completion date.
Authorities allege customers were later given explanations for delays but ultimately did not receive the food trucks despite some having paid thousands of dollars.
According to the probable cause statement, Cruz registered the business with the State of Minnesota in September 2024. It was initially listed at a St. Paul address before being moved to South St. Paul in approximately late March or early April 2025.
The complaint states that many customers learned something was wrong when they went to the South St. Paul business to confront Cruz or retrieve their trailers and found the location empty and closed.
An investigator later searched the business and allegedly found invoices and contracts in the garbage. Police also obtained additional contracts, invoices and receipts from customers.
Investigators reviewed Cruz's personal and business bank records and allegedly found that he cashed checks received from identified victims.
According to the complaint, withdrawals and debit transactions from the accounts went toward personal expenses rather than business expenses. Those alleged expenditures included vacations, airline tickets, entertainment events, food and delivery services, ATM withdrawals at strip clubs and wire transfers to Mexico.
The business was administratively terminated in January 2026, according to the complaint.
Cruz had previously been arrested on Aug. 23, 2025, on a federal warrant from Texas involving what the Dakota County complaint describes as a similar food truck fraud case.
The complaint includes notice that prosecutors intend to introduce evidence related to the Texas case for purposes including identity, alleged method of operation, knowledge and intent. According to the Minnesota complaint, federal authorities investigated Cruz and others in connection with a Texas food truck fraud scheme involving more than $1 million.
The complaint states Cruz pleaded guilty in June 2026 to a federal conspiracy to commit wire fraud charge in that case.
The Minnesota theft-by-swindle charge remains an allegation. Cruz is presumed innocent of the Dakota County charge unless and until proven guilty in court.