Apple Valley Man Stole Nearly $1M From Employer: U.S. Attorney

APPLE VALLEY, MN—An Apple Valley man is facing charges after being accused of stealing nearly $1 million from his former employer, according to a complaint filed by the United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota.

Gregg William Johnson, whose Apple Valley residence is being forfeited to the United States government, has been accused of using his prior position as CFO of the company from February 2014 to July 2020 to steal over $930,000 from the company, which remained anonymous in the complaint.

According to the complaint, Johnson’s position as CFO allowed him to oversee and track all cash flow for the company. He even had signature authority over the company’s bank accounts, as well as the authority to make payments and write checks from that account. The U.S. Attorney's office alleges that he used these authorities to steal money from the company.

The complaint alleges that Johnson knew he wasn’t supposed to transfer funds to his personal bank account through the company’s bank account, but did it anyway. It also alleges that Johnson used money from the company’s account to cover personal expenses, including credit card bills, personal insurance payments, as well as mortgage payments and renovations at three different residences.

Johnson is accused of hiding his theft through forging the company’s president’s signature on checks, falsifying invoices, and using his separate program to issue and keep track of checks, instead of the company’s program. The complaint further alleges that he then added fake cash expenses to make it appear that the amounts were balanced.

If found guilty, Johnson must forfeit his three residences in Apple Valley, Minneapolis, and Webster, Wisconsin.