Three Charged in Eagan Money Order Scam That Netted Nearly $10,000
EAGAN, MINNESOTA - Three people have been charged in Dakota County with conspiring to defraud a local grocery store chain through a Western Union money order scam that investigators say stretched across several months and involved nearly $10,000 in fraudulent transactions.
The Dakota County Attorney’s Office has filed felony charges of Conspiracy to Commit Theft by Swindle against two individuals from Wahkon, Minnesota, and one suspect from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
How the Scam Worked
According to the criminal complaints from the Dakota County Attorney’s Office, the trio repeatedly used a scheme designed to exploit Western Union’s money order system.
The process typically began with one of the defendants sending a money transfer to themselves. They would then visit the customer service counter at a Hyvee grocery store location to collect the cash. Immediately after leaving, Western Union customer service would receive a phone call from someone falsely claiming to be a store employee, who stated that the store did not have enough funds to complete the transaction.
As a result, the original transaction was voided, allowing the sender to collect the funds again later while preventing the store from being reimbursed. From May 29th to August 7th, 2024, investigators determined that the defendants fraudulently and allegedly obtained $9,772 through the scheme.
The Charges and Potential Penalties
All three defendants are reported to face felony charges of Conspiracy to Commit Theft by Swindle (aggregating over $1,000 but less than $5,000 in each incident). Under Minnesota law, the offense carries a maximum penalty of up to 2½ years in prison and fines ranging from $3,000 to $5,000 per count.
Prosecutors allege that the three defendants acted together in an organized effort to defraud repeatedly.
What’s Next
The Dakota County Attorney’s Office issued summonses rather than arrest warrants, meaning the defendants will be required to appear voluntarily in court for their first hearings.
Reminder, criminal complaints are only allegations, and all three defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Written by: Will Wight
