On December 4, 2025, Officer Kruse of the Northfield Police Department was dispatched to the lobby of the Northfield Police Department to take a report of theft. Officer Kruse spoke to three members of the Northfield Lodge. The Northfield Lodge is located at [ADDRESS REDACTED], Northfield, Rice County. They told the officer that the Northfield Lodge selected WILLIAM JOHN ALITZ, [DOB REDACTED], as the new Treasurer in November of 2024. As the Treasurer ALITZ was the sole person who was in control of the funds for the Northfield Lodge.
ALITZ was informed that the funds are not be spent without prior authorization from the Lodge Board. One of the members of the Northfield Lodge told Officer Kruse that ALITZ approached him on November 15, 2025. ALITZ told him that he had "borrowed some money and wanted to set up a payment plan to pay it back." The members of the Northfield Lodge provided Officer Kruse with the bank statements for the account. According to the bank statement, the account had an overdrawn balance of $226.35 on September 22, 2025. The members also learned that a debit card was linked to the Lodge's account.
The members said there should not have been a debit card linked to the account. According to the bank statements, there were debit transactions for the Valley View Kennel in Eden Valley, Menards, Napa Auto Parts, Beer Oil in Le Center, Fleet Farm, Tractor Supply, and Harbor Freight Tools, and a reoccurring payment for DirectTV. The members reported to Officer Kruse that none of these transactions were approved by the Lodge members. On December 12, 2025, Officer Dahl of the Northfield Police Department spoke to WILLIAM JOHN ALITZ, [DOB REDACTED], the defendant herein.
The defendant made the following statements: He was the Treasurer for the Independent Oder of Oddfellows Friendship Lodge # 50 (Northfield, Rice County). He admitted to using the Lodge's debit card to purchase items, including food for his family. He said he was short on cash and behind on things. He said he had money to pay the Lodge back. He said he started using the debit card earlier this year. He used it for about two months. He said he spent $3,000 on food. He admitted he purchased some items at Menards, a poodle in Eden Valley, and paid his DirectTV bill,. Below are the unauthorized transactions from the Northfield Lodge account.
February 2025 Date of Purchase Description / Location Amount 2/15 Valley View Kennel (Eden Valley) $374.06 2/15 A Mazen Farmyard (Eden Valley) $21.36 2/16 Menards (Mankato) $30.77 Total: $426.19 March 2025 Date of Purchase Description / Location Amount 3/1 Corner Drug (Le Sueur) $163.18 3/23 Menards (Mankato) $477.74 3/23 Menards (Mankato) $142.90 3/26 Napa Auto Parts (Le Center) $199.00 Total: $982.82 2 ••-CR-••-•••• Filed in District Court State of Minnesota 3/3/2026 April 2025 Date of Purchase Description / Location Amount 4/4 Dollar General (Le Center) $20.72 4/5 Partselect.com $263.68 4/11 Sp Lettuce Pets Admiralty Hkg $36.94 Total: 321.94 May 2025 Date of Purchase Description / Location Amount 5/3 Beer Oil (Le Center) $100 5/6 Fleet Farm (Mankato) $122.57 5/9 Amoco (Le Center) $42.63 5/9 Amoco (Le Center) $40.71 5/13 Walgreens (Mankato) $20.08 5/14 DirectTV (Recurring payment) $128.83 5/17 Menards (Dundas) $90.17 5/18 Menards (Mankato) $349.59 5/18 Caseys (Le Center) $8.00 Total: $902.58 June 2025 Date of Purchase Description / Location Amount 6/18 Best Western (Willmar) $50.00 6/21 Menards (Mankato) $573.66 6/22 Menards (Mankato) $61.31 6/24 Menards (Mankato) $32.32 6/24 Tractor Supply (North Mankato) $57.14 6/26 Harbor Freight Tools (Mankato) $73.32 6/27 Amoco (Le Center) $75.01 6/28 Kwik Trip (St. Peter) $90.00 Total: $1,012.76 July 2025 Date of Purchase Description / Location Amount 7/16 DirectTV (Recurring payment) $128.83 7/18 Dollar General (Le Center) $116.24 7/18 Caseys (Le Center) $70.30 7/19 O'Reilly (St. Peter) $240.53 7/22 Corner Drug (Le Sueur) $22.63 7/22 Wal-Mart (Mankato) $59.88 7/22 Goodwill (Mankato) $72.25 7/22 Fleet Farm (Mankato) $88.41 Total: $799.07 The aggregate amount from February 2025 to July 2025 is $4,445.36.
