Ramsey County Contractor Charged in Alleged $400K Construction Fraud Case
Photo from the criminal complaint. Victim names have been blurred by this publication
Published: April 15th 2026
RAMSEY COUNTY MN: A construction business owner has been charged in Ramsey County District Court with multiple felony counts alleging he collected well over $400,000 from at least 27 customers for construction projects that were not completed.
CHRISTOPHER DON CHANDONNET (DOB: 12/20/1978) is charged with:
Theft by swindle (Minn. Stat. § 609.52.2(a)(4))
Theft — indifferent to owner rights (Minn. Stat. § 609.52.2(a)(5)(i))
Insurance fraud (Minn. Stat. § 609.611.1(e)(1))
According to the criminal complaint, the alleged conduct occurred between approximately May 11, 2021, and August 8, 2025, in Ramsey County.
According to the complaint, Chandonnet received well over $400,000 from customers between May 2021 and October 2022 for construction projects that were not completed, with the majority of the payments occurring between June and September 2022.
Investigators reviewed financial records from multiple institutions and found that funds paid by customers were frequently transferred or diverted for purposes unrelated to the construction projects within days of receipt, according to the complaint.
The complaint alleges Chandonnet obtained property or services valued at more than $35,000 by means of swindle. He is further accused of intentionally taking or retaining property valued at more than $5,000 without consent, with conduct demonstrating indifference to the rights of the owners.
The complaint also alleges that Chandonnet, with intent to defraud for financial gain, diverted, misappropriated, or embezzled funds connected to insurance transactions.
Disclaimer: The charges contained in the criminal complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.