Brothers from Michigan Charged in $63K Minnesota Retail Gift Card Swindle
EAGAN, MINNESOTA - Two brothers from Saginaw, Michigan, have been charged in Dakota County with felony theft by swindling for their alleged roles in a multi-state scheme that defrauded Minnesota retailers out of more than $63,000 in gift cards and merchandise.
Defendants and Charges
Terrell Montel Davis, 21, and Tyrese Montrell Davis, 21, both of Saginaw, Michigan, each face one felony count of Theft by Swindle (Aggregating, Over $35,000).
The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and/or fines up to $100,000 under Minnesota law.
A nationwide warrant for both defendants was issued on July 3, 2025, and they were served on July 29, 2025, for Tyrese and August 18, 2025, for Terrell. Prosecution requested bail to be set for both at $80,000 without conditions or $40,000 with strict conditions, including no contact with co-defendants, exclusion from Target stores, participation in pretrial release monitoring, and remaining law-abiding. Terrell received the requested bail, while Tyrese received a $40,000 bail without conditions and $25,000 with conditions.
A warrant was also issued for 21-year-old Donell Rayvonne Ruffin of Saginaw, Michigan, on July 3, 2025, for Felony Theft by Swindle that appears to be still active. There is no photo available for Ruffin, but he is described in the warrant to be a black male around 6 feet, 2 inches, and around 175 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. The Dakota County Sheriff’s Office says if you have any information about this individual, please call the Dakota County Sheriff's Office at 651-438-TIPS.
Details of the Scheme
According to the criminal complaint from the Dakota County Attorney’s Office, investigators linked the brothers and a third suspect, Donell Rayvonne Ruffin, to a series of thefts targeting retail stores in Minnesota between April 13 and September 15, 2024.
According to court documents, the scheme worked as follows:
The suspects attempted to buy multiple gift cards under $500 each to avoid manager approvals.
When their “cash card” was declined, they pressured cashiers into hitting the “cash” button, tricking the register into finalizing the transaction without payment.
They then used the fraudulently obtained cards to purchase additional electronics, including iPads and Apple Watches.
Incidents Across Minnesota
According to court documents, investigators identified nine separate incidents across the Twin Cities metro, including stores in Edina, Chaska, Minnetonka, Champlin, Eagan, Burnsville, Bloomington, St. Louis Park, and Brooklyn Park.
Some of the largest thefts included:
Champlin (April 13, 2024): 27 transactions completed in 16 minutes, totaling $11,534.62 in unpaid gift cards.
Brooklyn Park (September 15, 2024): Multiple iPads purchased with fraudulent cards, with a total loss of $16,800.
St. Louis Park (September 15, 2024): Gift cards and electronics totaling nearly $9,000.
In all, the scheme caused $63,710.62 in losses across Minnesota. Many of the gift cards were later used online to purchase Apple products shipped to relatives of the suspects in Saginaw, Michigan.
Aggressive Tactics Reported
According to the court documents, at the Eagan location in particular, on April 14, 2024, employees described the suspects as “intimidating” and “aggressive”, and refused to let staff call a manager. Loss prevention staff also noted the suspects sometimes claimed to be “YouTube personalities” conducting gift card giveaways in an attempt to persuade employees.
Broader Pattern of Crimes
Court filings note that neither Terrell nor Tyrese Davis has prior convictions. However, both face pending felony cases in other states for similar conduct:
Connecticut: Felony 3° Larceny (Terrell)
Florida: Felony Grand Theft (both)
Pennsylvania: Felony Robbery and Felony Conspiracy (both)
Washington: Felony 2° Organized Retail Theft and Felony 2° Theft (both)
Next Steps
Court records show that Tyrese had his first court appearance on July 29th, his omnibus hearing on August 7th, and could begin a jury trial as early as October 6, 2025. Terrell had his first appearance on August 18th, and has his next court appearance set for August 27th. Prosecutors say the multi-state pattern of theft highlights the sophistication and reach of organized retail fraud operations.
Reminder, criminal complaints are only allegations, and both defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Written by: Will Wight
