Former Hastings Plumbing Company Employee Charged in Alleged $82K Theft Scheme
HASTINGS MN: A former employee of a Hastings plumbing company has been charged in Dakota County after authorities allege he stole more than $82,000 from the business through a series of transactions dating back to 2021.
Brandon Anthony Anderson, 47, is charged with five felony counts of theft by swindle and one gross misdemeanor count of theft by swindle, according to a Dakota County criminal complaint.
The complaint alleges Anderson collected payments for work performed by the plumbing company, sold company inventory and equipment, and kept the proceeds for himself. The transactions specifically identified in the complaint total approximately $82,088, spanning from October 2021 through November 2024.
According to the complaint, Hastings police were alerted to the suspected thefts in March 2025. The owner of the plumbing company told an investigator that Anderson had worked for the business for several years and held multiple roles, including directing jobs performed by other employees.
The owner reportedly began suspecting Anderson of stealing in September 2024 after the portion of the business Anderson oversaw lost a significant amount of money and material costs appeared unusually high, according to the probable cause statement.
Authorities allege Anderson used several methods to take money from the company, including collecting payments for work completed by the business and keeping the money, selling company inventory to employees for personal or side projects and retaining the proceeds, and selling company inventory to customers without turning the money over to the business.
Between September 2023 and January 2024, Anderson allegedly received approximately $14,000 for various jobs, equipment and contract work performed by his employer.
From February through June 2024, authorities allege Anderson received more than $21,700 through transactions involving service work, equipment and contract work performed by the plumbing company.
The largest alleged losses occurred between July and November 2024. According to the complaint, Anderson received payments totaling more than $37,000, including $20,000 in cash for HVAC and plumbing work and another $12,000 for contract work performed by the company.
Earlier alleged transactions include approximately $4,300 between January and May 2023, more than $4,100 between July and November 2022, and an $850 payment in October 2021.
The complaint notes that the listed transactions are believed to be an underinclusive accounting of the alleged thefts and represent those for which the state says it is certain of the dates and dollar amounts.
Anderson faces one theft-by-swindle charge involving more than $35,000, two counts involving more than $5,000, two felony counts involving between $1,000 and $5,000, and one gross misdemeanor count involving between $500 and $1,000.
The allegations contained in a criminal complaint are not evidence of guilt. Anderson is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.