Minnesota Forfeiture Law

<H2> United States of America v. Abdimajid Mohamed Nur

Minneapolis, Minnesota, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with fraud. At trial, Abdimajid Mohamed Nur, age 24, and his co-defendants stole more than $47 million in program funds by claiming to serve 18 million meals to kids at more than 30 food distribution sites. The scheme originated out of Empire Cuisine & Market, a small storefront halal market in Shakopee. Empire... More...

$ (11-24-2025 - MN)

<h1> United States of America v. Sahra Nur </h1></h1>

<h2><center> Minneapolis, Minnesota criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with Feeding Our Future $250 Million Fraud Scheme </font/color="red"></center> <center> Minneapolis Woman Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Role in Feeding Our Future $250 Million Fraud SchemeScheme</h2></center> Sahra Nur of... More...

$0 (05-22-2025 - MN)

United States of America v. Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, et al.

Minneapolis, Minnesota criminal defense lawyers represented the Defendants charged for their roles in a $250 millin fraud scheme. The convicted defendants devised and carried out a $40 million fraud scheme to defraud the Federal Child Nutrition Program. The convicted defendants obtained, misappropriated, and laundered millions of dollars in program funds that were intended as reimbursemen... More...

$0 (06-07-2024 - MN)

United States of America v. Gisele Castro Medina

Minneapolis, Minnesota criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors. From May 2020 through December 2020, Gisela Castro Medina, 21, conspired with co-defendant Anton Joseph Lazzaro, 32, to recruit and solicit six minor victims to engage in commercial sex acts. The prosecution team, led by Assistant United States At... More...

$0 (09-08-2023 - MN)

United States of America v. Mohamed Ali Hussein and Lul Bashir Ali

Minneapolis, Minnesota criminal defense lawyers represented Defendants charged for their roles in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mohamed Ali Hussein, ate 53, and Lul Bashir Ali, age 57, both of Faribault, admitted that between June 2020 and January 2022, they knowingly and willfully conspired with othe... More...

$0 (06-08-2023 - MN)

United States of America v. Kawsar Jama, et al.

Minneapolis, Minnesota criminal defense lawyers represented Defendants charge with engaging in a fraudulent scheme that exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic. <table> <h1> <center> <img width="200" src="http://www.morelawtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Minneapolis_MN.jpg" alt="Federal Courthouse - Minneapolis, Minnesota"> <P... More...

$0 (03-14-2023 - MN)

United States of America v. Matthew Scott White

St. Paul, Minnesota arson charge criminal defense lawyer represented Defendant. On May 28,2020 Matthew Scott White, 31, entered the Enterprise Rent-A-Car building located in St. Paul, Minnesota and started a fire in the back office that completely destroyed the building. White fueled the fire by throwing papers and other flammable items onto the flames. As White exited the building, he to... More...

$0 (06-18-2021 - MN)

Kelly Schultz v. TheMLSonline, Inc.

Minneapolis, Minnesota consumer law lawyer represented Plaintiff, who sued TheMLSonline, Inc. on a Telephone Consumer Protection Act violation theory under 47 U.S.C. 227 which provides: (a) Definitions As used in this sectionâ€” (1) The term "automatic telephone dialing systemâ€ means equipment which has the capacityâ€” (A) to store or produce tel... More...

$1 (05-07-2021 - MN)

United States of America v. Andrew Albert Comeaux

Minneapolis, Minnesota felony firearm possession criminal defense lawyer represented Defendant, Andrew Albert Comeaux, age 38, who was charged with once count of felony in possession of a firearm. According to COMEAUX's guilty plea and documents filed with the court, on June 15, 2020, multiple law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant at COMEAUX's residence. During the search, la... More...

$0 (02-09-2021 - MN)

United States of America v. Terry Lynn Christensen, Todd Allen Hughes and Jessica Marie Prince

Minneapolis, Minnesota telemarketing fraud charge criminal defense lawyers represented defendants charged with telemarketing fraud scheme. TERRY LYNN CHRISTENSEN, 73, TODD ALLEN HUGHES, 47, and JESSICA MARIE PRINCE, 40, were charged with roles in a $300 million telemarketing fraud scheme. According to his guilty plea and documents filed with the court, CHRISTENSEN worked as a ca... More...

$0 (11-18-2020 - MN)

United States of America v. Norris Deshon Andrews

<center><h1> 0em;"><a href="http://www.callmorelaw.com/" target="_new">MoreLaw Receptionists</a>VOIP Phone and Virtual Receptionist Services Call 918-582-6422 Today </h1></center> Minneapolis, MN - The United States of America charged Norris Deshon Andrews with felony ... More...

$0 (03-18-2020 - MN)

John J. Capistrant vs. Lifetouch National School Studios. Inc. <table> <td>

Lifetouch sells photography services to schools and other organizations across the nation. In 1980, Capistrant began working as a photographer and sales representative for Lifetouch in its Minneapolis office. In 1981, Capistrant transferred within the company to the California office. Capistrant took over as Territory Manager of the San Francisco Bay Area in 1986 and entered... More...

$0 (07-25-2018 - MN)

State of Minnesota vs. Miguel Angel Vasquez, <table> <td>

Following a bench trial, the district court found Vasquez guilty of the premeditated murder of Amber Lechuga. Lechuga and Vasquez shared an apartment in Springfield. They had been romantically involved and have two children together. The State’s theory was that Vasquez murdered Lechuga because their relationship had deteriorated, and she was seeing other men. The State co... More...

$0 (06-08-2018 - MN)

State of Minnesota vs. Emile Rey <table> <td>

In March 2015, the Eagan Police Department began investigating the reported use of a cloned credit card3 by an unknown male at a Target store in Eagan. An investigator learned from Target’s loss-prevention personnel that the same unknown male had been to the store on five other occasions to purchase gift cards with what appeared to be cloned credit cards. On one of the occa... More...

$0 (01-05-2018 - MN)

United States of America v. Ronald David Johnson

Minneapolis, MN - Corcoran Man Sentenced To More Than 10 Years In Prison For Multi-Million Dollar Fraud In The Bakken Oil Fields Ronald David Johnson, 51, was sentenced to 126 months in prison for stealing more than $2.1 million from victims who were hoping to invest successfully in the North Dakota oil boom. On June 19, 2017, following a five-day trial, a jury convicted JOHNSON on nine c... More...

$0 (11-28-2017 - MN)

United States of America v. Lili Huang

Minneapolis, MN - Woodbury Woman Sentenced To Prison In Labor Trafficking Case Judge also ordered the defendant to forfeit her house and pay more than $123,000 in restitution Lili Huang, 36, for withholding documents as well as enslaving, starving and beating the victim in a forced labor case. HUANG, who pleaded guilty on May 31, 2017, was sentenced today before U.S. District Sen... More...

$0 (08-25-2017 - MN)

United States of America v. Bryan Reichel

St. Paul, MN - PureChoice Founder Sentenced To 22 Years In Prison For $28 Million Dollar Investment Fraud Scheme Bryan Reichel, 62, founder and former President and Chief Executive Officer of PureChoice, Inc. (PureChoice), was sentenced to 22 years in prison for orchestrating a multi-million-dollar investment fraud scheme. On November 3, 2016, REICHEL, who was charged in a 12-count supers... More...

$0 (07-11-2017 - MN)

State of Minnesota vs. Montrell Maurice Webster <table> <td>

On September 21, 2014, Gonzalez-Sanchez was discovered shot to death on a sidewalk in northeast Minneapolis. After a police investigation, a grand jury indicted Webster for first-degree felony murder on an accomplice-liability theory. See Minn. Stat. § 609.185(a)(3); Minn. Stat. § 609.05 (2016). Webster pleaded not guilty and demanded a jury trial. At trial, the State... More...

$0 (05-11-2017 - MN)

State of Minnesota vs. Adam John Lilienthal <table> <td>

Adam Lilienthal and Scott Yorek met through a mutual friend in February 2014. After learning that Yorek needed a place to stay, Lilienthal agreed to rent Yorek a room in his house in Andover. Yorek moved into Lilienthal’s house later that month. Lilienthal and Yorek agreed that Yorek would pay $100 per week in rent, though disputes later arose as to whether and how timely ... More...

$0 (02-01-2017 - MN)

United States of America v. Sandra Lee Bart, Wilian Socrate Cabrera and John James Svihel

Minneapolis, MN - Ohio Woman Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Conspiring to Exploit Foreign Workers at Minnesota Farm SANDRA LEE BART, 69, to five years in prison for requiring foreign workers on temporary H-2A work visas to pay illegal fees and kickbacks. BART was found guilty by a jury of conspiring with others to commit fraud. Co-defendant WILIAN SOCRATE CABRERA pleaded g... More...

$0 (01-26-2017 - MN)

State of Minnesota vs. Kristyn Nicole Schouweiler

In February 2015, Schouweiler issued a check in the amount of $1,969.07 to the Wabasha County Auditor/Treasurer for past-due property taxes payable in 2014. The check was not honored by Schouweiler’s bank, which returned it for insufficient funds. The County Auditor/Treasurer mailed a notice to Schouweiler, informing her that she had 5 days to make a valid payment, but she ... More...

$0 (11-18-2016 - MN)

Lane Francis Weitzel vs. State of Minnesota

Weitzel was obligated to register as a predatory offender due to a 1992 conviction for second-degree criminal sexual conduct. In September 2006, the State charged Weitzel with failure to register, in violation of Minn. Stat. § 243.166, subd. 5(a). The complaint alleged that around May 24, 2006, Weitzel knowingly violated the statute by failing to notify the Bureau of Crimina... More...

$0 (08-13-2016 - MN)

Jedidiah Dean Troxel vs. State of Minnesota,

On November 5, 2013, a Pennington County jury found appellant Jedidiah Dean Troxel guilty of three counts of first-degree murder while committing first-degree criminal sexual conduct, Minn. Stat. §§ 609.185(a)(2), 609.342, subd. 1(c), 1(d), 1(e)(i) (2014). Following his conviction, the district court sentenced Troxel to life in prison without the possibility of release. Min... More...

$0 (02-17-2016 - MN)

United States of America v. James Robert Carlson

Carlson was the owner and operator of the Last Place on Earth (Last Place), a head shop in Duluth, Minnesota which sold synthetic drugs from 2010 until 2012. Both Haugen, Carlson's domestic partner, and Carlson's son Gellerman worked at the shop. As store clerks, Gellerman and Haugen received shipments of misbranded synthetic drugs from Last Place suppliers and sold such products to customers. H... More...

$0 (01-14-2016 - MN)

State of Minnesota vs. Jerry Expose, Jr.

This case requires us to determine whether the therapist-client privilege, which prohibits therapists from disclosing information or opinions in court that they acquired from their clients in a professional capacity, contains an exception for threatening statements. The district court concluded that the privilege does not apply to “statements of imminent threat of harm.” ... More...

$0 (12-09-2015 - MN)

Darryl Colbert vs. State of Minnesota

Appellant Darryl Colbert was found guilty by a Hennepin County jury of the first degree murder of Robert Mitchell in December 2003, and was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of release. We affirmed Colbert’s conviction on direct appeal. State v. Colbert (Colbert I), 716 N.W.2d 647, 649 (Minn. 2006). In July 2014, Colbert filed his sixth postconviction p... More...

$0 (10-21-2015 - MN)

American Family Mutual Ins. v. Steven G. Graham

Steven Graham and his insurance agency, Steven Graham Agency, Inc. (collectively Graham), appeal the denial of Graham’s post-trial motions and the district court’s enforcement of a stipulated-d 1 amages clause in Graham’s Agent Agreement with American Family Mutual Insurance Company (American Family). We affirm the judgment.2 I. Background Graham sold insurance for Am... More...

$0 (07-07-2015 - MN)

Phillip David Schaub v. Steven VonWald

After a bench trial, the district court1 found that Steven C. VonWald, the director of the Minnesota facility in which Philip D. Schaub was incarcerated, was deliberately indifferent to Schaub's serious medical needs in violation of the Eighth Amendment. The court awarded Schaub $214,000 in compensatory damages and $750,000 in punitive damages. VonWald appeals both the judgment and the award of pu... More...

$0 (04-26-2011 - MN)

M.M. Silta, Inc. v. Cliffs Erie, L.L.C.

M.M. Silta, Inc. (Silta)1 brought this breach of contract action against Cliffs Erie, L.L.C. (Cliffs), alleging that Cliffs failed to perform its obligations under two agreements stemming from reclamation of a Minnesota taconite mine.2 A jury returned a verdict for Silta on one of its contract claims, and Cliffs appeals, arguing that the district court3 submitted an erroneous jury instruction, tha... More...

$0 (07-16-2009 - MN)

Corn Plus Cooperative v. Continental Casualty Co.

Corn Plus Cooperative ("Corn Plus") brought this declaratory judgment claim against Continental Casualty Company ("Continental") and Lumbermens Mutual Casualty Company ("Lumbermens") to enforce a settlement it had reached with its mechanical contractor who was insured by appellees. The district court1 determined that the insurance policies did not cover all of appellant's claims and thereafter... More...

$0 (02-07-2008 - MN)

<a href="http://www.lawlibrary.state.mn.us/archive/supct/0708/OPA052018-0823.htm" target="_new">Mavco, Inc. d/b/a Maverick Construction v. Rodney Eggink, et al.</a>

Approximately four months after filing a mechanic's lien statement against Rodney and Karla Eggink's real property and serving a copy of the statement on the Egginks, Mavco, Inc. commenced an action in Sherburne County District Court to foreclose its lien. Three days before Mavco filed its complaint, summons, and notice of lis pendens, the Egginks granted a mortgage on their property to Wells ... More...

$0 (09-08-2007 - MN)

<a href="http://www.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/07/03/061983P.pdf" target="_new">United States of America v. Minnesota Church of the Angels</a>

The United States seeks civil forfeiture of real property in Minneapolis that has served as the clubhouse for the Minnesota chapter of the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club (the "Club") since 1995. As relevant here, the government alleges that the property is subject to forfeiture because it has been "used . . . to commit, or to facilitate the commission of, a [federal drug offense] punishable ... More...

$0 (03-25-2007 - MN)

<a href="http://www.lawlibrary.state.mn.us/archive/supct/0407/op030119-0701.htm" target="_new">John H. Brekke v. THM Biomedical, Inc.</a>

Respondent employee, Dr. John H. Brekke, brought an action against appellant employer, THM Biomedical, Inc. (THM), under Minn. Stat. § 181.79 (2002) for a statutory penalty based on THM's unauthorized deduction from Dr. Brekke's salary of the principal of a debt owed by Dr. Brekke to THM. The district court ruled that the deduction violated Minn. Stat. § 181.79 and awarded Dr. Brekke twice t... More...

$0 (07-09-2004 - MN)

<a href="http://www.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/02/07/013074P.pdf" target="_new">United States of America Plaintiff v. Premises know as 7725 Unity Avenue North, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota; Tonya Howell; Anthony Tyrone Howell; et al.</a>

** After Anthony Tyrone Howell pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and marijuana, the Government filed this action seeking civil forfeiture of Howell's house at 7725 Unity Avenue North, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, under 21 U.S.C. § 881(a)(6) (2000). Howell and his wife, Tonya Howell, refinanced an existing GMAC mortgage through GMAC Mortgage Corporation (GMAC) i... More...

$0 (07-01-2002 - MN)

<a href="http://www.lawlibrary.state.mn.us/archive/ctappub/0209/c5011546.htm" target="_new">In re: Silicone Implant Insurance Coverage Litigation.</a>

1. When the underlying litigation leading to an insured's liability is settled, leaving facts crucial to a coverage determination unresolved, the district court in the coverage action must make findings as to these unresolved coverage issues, which will not be reversed unless clearly erroneous. 2. When damages covered by occurrence insurance take place over mor... More...

$0 (09-24-2002 - MN)

<a href="http://www.courts.state.mn.us/opinions/sc/current/c401632.html" target="_new">Jeffrey A.Z. Hillgoss v. Cargill, Inc.</a>

Jeffrey A.Z. Hilligoss (respondent), a former employee of appellant Cargill Financial Services Corporation (CFSC),[1] was terminated in September 1997 based on Cargill’s determination that he was responsible for significant investment losses to the company and that he failed to meet performance expectations. Respondent sued Cargill seeking, among other things, the unpaid portion of his 1996... More...

$506956 (08-02-2002 - MN)

<a href="http://www.lawlibrary.state.mn.us/archive/supct/0204/c8002082.htm" target="_new">American National General Insurance Company v. Paul Gerald Solum, et al.</a>

On January 31, 1997 appellant Paul Solum was driving an uninsured pickup truck when a collision occurred with a vehicle driven by Adam Kraus. David Stoen, a passenger in the Kraus vehicle, was injured and brought suit against Paul Solum and Kraus. American National General Insurance Company (American) insured other vehicles owned by Paul Solum and he sought general liability coverage from Americ... More...

$0 (04-18-2002 - MN)