Star Tribune, "7-year term for Eden Prairie man who stole $1.6M in COVID-19 funds, fled to Colombia"
Summary
A Minnesota Star Tribune article by Paul Walsh, dated November 18, 2024, reports that Harold Bennie Kaeding of Eden Prairie was sentenced to 7¼ years in prison after jurors found him guilty in August of three counts each of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, and one count of money laundering. Judge Eric Tostrud ordered three years of court supervision and restitution of nearly $660,000. According to prosecutors, Kaeding applied between March and May 2020 for nearly $2.2 million in PPP and EIDL loans in the names of six purported corporate entities, using fabricated tax documents and bank statements. The article says he fled to Colombia in early 2021 and was found there in November 2021 and deported.
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- 2026-10-02
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“Star Tribune, ‘7-year term for Eden Prairie man who stole $1.6M in COVID-19 funds, fled to Colombia.’”
Original at www.startribune.com. Archived at Pandemic Darlings on 2026-10-02, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/star-tribune-7-year-term-for-eden-prairie-man-who-stole-1-6m-in-covid-0b395ff818/
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Twin Cities Suburbs 7-year term for Eden Prairie man who stole $1.6M in COVID-19 relief funds, fled to Colombia His defense asked for no prison time, citing his advanced age and poor health. By Paul Walsh The Minnesota Star Tribune November 18, 2024 at 3:58PM A prosecution filing against Harold Kaeding included a state identification card that bore his photo but someone else's name. The filing also included a Social Security card with the same name as on the ID card. (U.S. District Court records) A prison term exceeding seven years has been given to an Eden Prairie man who fraudulently received more than $1.6 million in COVID-19 relief funds, stole another person’s identity and fled to his wife’s native country of Colombia. Harold Bennie Kaeding, 75, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in St. Paul last week after jurors found him guilty in August of three counts each of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, and one count of money laundering. Along with a prison sentence of 7¼ years, Judge Eric Tostrud ordered Kaeding to make restitution of the nearly $660,000 in connection with his scheme and serve three years of court supervision upon his release from prison. Ahead of sentencing, Kaeding’s defense attorneys urged the judge to impose no more incarceration for their client since his arrest. They argued in writing that his advanced age and a host of health problems “make any additional prison time unduly difficult and perilous.” In early 2021, Kaeding fled alone to Colombia, his wife’s native country, in an apparent attempt to evade prosecution, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Law enforcement eventually found him there in November 2021 and had him deported back to the United States. According to prosecutors: Between March and May 2020, Kaeding applied for nearly $2.2 million in loans through the Paycheck Protection and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan programs. He used the names of his own close family members to submit the loan applications in the names of six purported corporate entities. But these entities filed no tax returns and did not report the payment of wages to a single employee for calendar years 2019 and 2020. Kaeding instead fabricated tax documents, manufactured bank statements and submitted other records to ensure the applications appeared legitimate. These false statements to lenders included the number of employees a given entity employed, the amount of average monthly payroll expenses, and false statements about the intended use of the loan proceeds. Kaeding initially received more than $1.6 million in ill-gotten proceeds before some banks detected irregularities and reclaimed some of the money. This left Kaeding with nearly $660,000 that he transferred to bank accounts he controlled that were often opened in the names of the family members. Kaeding used the money to spare his home from impending foreclosure, buy an SUV and stockpile more than $80,000 in cash. about the writer Paul Walsh Reporter Paul Walsh is a general assignment reporter at the Minnesota Star Tribune. He wants your news tips, especially in and near Minnesota. See More More from Twin Cities Suburbs See More Elections Live: Polls close in contentious local races across Minnesota Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune Elections Live: Polls close in contentious local races across Minnesota Voter turnout was strong at polling places across Minnesota, from St. Cloud to Minneapolis, as voters weighed in on local races. Twin Cities Suburbs Tilt of power at stake in Minneapolis City Council elections Leila Navidi/The Minnesota Star Tribune Twin Cities Suburbs Tilt of power at stake in Minneapolis City Council elections The election will determine whether the progressive bloc continues to control the council. Elections What to know about Minnesota election results today Glen Stubbe/The Minnesota Star Tribune Elections What to know about Minnesota election results today The outcome of many contests, especially those that use ranked-choice voting, may not be certain on Tuesday. Elections Live: Polls close in contentious local races across Minnesota Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune Elections Live: Polls close in contentious local races across Minnesota Voter turnout was strong at polling places across Minnesota, from St. Cloud to Minneapolis, as voters weighed in on local races.
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