On October 20, 2025, Wright County Deputy Kramer was dispatched to the Bank of Elk River at 15800 - 88th St. NE, Otsego, Wright County, Minnesota, in reference to an Identity Theft/Theft by Swindle complaint being called in by victim DJL. DJL stated that he was contacted by Sgt. Richard Loppnow with the Brown County Wisconsin Sheriff's Office and advised he may be a victim [NAME REDACTED]. DJL stated he contacted his bank, The Bank of Elk River, and learned that on 10/8/2025, someone withdrew $900.00 cash in person from the branch office in Otsego.
Bank of Elk River Employee Francisco Guzman Jr provided Dep. Kramer with a still photograph taken from video surveillance showing the suspect, who did not resemble DJL. Dep. Kramer spoke with the teller, Zachary Lidholm, who assisted the suspect on 10/8/2025. Zachary stated that on the offense date, at approximately 2:37 P.M., the suspect presented an ID with the suspect’s photograph and DJL’s information and requested $900.00 cash from DJL' account. Zachary stated that since all of the numbers on the [DL# REDACTED] by the suspect matched the Bank Records, the suspect was given $900.00 in cash.
Zachary stated there did not appear to be anything out of the ordinary with this transaction. Dep. Kramer contacted Sgt. Loppnow, who advised he had a male in custody for similar crimes in Brown County. Sgt. Loppnow stated that they determined their suspect, Robert Gordon Costello, [DOB REDACTED], hereinafter the defendant, was a money mule in an organized ring of thieves. Sgt. Loppnow advised two more accomplices recruited the defendant, who is homeless, from a soup kitchen in New Haven, Connecticut.
Sgt. Loppnow advised the two other suspects were described as African American and began driving the defendant through several states telling him to go and remove money from various banks. Sgt. Loppnow advised they have not located the other two suspects, however they did find a phone on Robert. Sgt. Loppnow advised he performed a phone extraction of the defendant's phone and located DJL's information and made contact with him. Dep. Kramer sent Sgt. Loppnow the photograph of the suspect from The Bank of Elk River, and he confirmed that this suspect was in fact the defendant and sent his booking photo.
Dep. Kramer identified that they were the same individual. On 10/21/25 a Search Warrant was obtained for records of the transaction, DJL's account and video surveillance which was signed by the Honorable Judge Bollman. Dep. Kramer reviewed DJL’s statement showing the withdrawal and the withdrawal slip by The Bank of Elk River. Watching the surveillance video, it shows the defendant walking from the Starbuck's parking lot to The Bank of Elk River. Upon exiting the bank, Robert heads back to the Starbucks parking lot and entering the passenger side of a mid-size SUV, light in color.
