The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Local News

April 27, 2010

Couple accused of hockey money swindle

By Brian Ojanpa Free Press Staff Writer

NEW ULM — A New Ulm couple faces felony theft charges for allegedly swindling the New Ulm Hockey Association out of thousands of dollars.

The court complaint against Scott and Angela Lennander maintains that the couple stole more than $14,000 in connection with a Louie Anderson comedy fundraiser for the association that was ultimately canceled due to low ticket sales.

According to the complaint:

The couple entered into a contract with Anderson’s booking agency for an April 10 show date at New Ulm Civic Center. They told the association board they would provide $10,000 of their own money if the association would put $10,000 toward the fundraiser.

The association began writing a series of checks to the couple to cover such costs as arena rental and a deposit to Anderson’s bookers.

The Lennanders periodically informed the association of other expenses requiring reimbursement, and the association obliged.

In mid-March the couple told association treasurer Brian Landreville that 208 tickets had been sold with an event value of $10,100. A subsequent e-mail touted even more ticket sales.

Landreville called the ticket promotion agency and learned only 40 tickets had been sold. Shortly after that the association pulled the plug on the show.

The association was unsuccessful in getting the couple to return funds paid them. The couple’s $10,000 check to Anderson’s booking agency bounced.

An investigation revealed that Angela Lennander wrote 10 checks totaling nearly $4,000 to her 14-year-old daughter between March 1 and March 23. Those checks were deposited into the daughter’s back account.

More than a dozen ATM withdrawals on that account occurred between those dates, usually on the same day as a deposit. One of those ATM withdrawals occurred at Jackpot Casino in Morton.

Scott Lennander pleaded guilty in 2006 to failure to pay taxes to the Internal Revenue Service and was committed to a two-year prison term in the federal facility at Waseca.

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