Former Minneapolis Chamber CEO Charged in $250K Fraud Scheme

Oct 24

The former president and CEO of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce has been indicted on five federal charges.

Prosecutors say he created a fake company and stole more than $250,000 from the organization he led for nearly eight years.

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The indictment, unsealed Thursday in federal court, accuses Jonathan Weinhagen of wire fraud, mail fraud, attempted bank fraud and making false statements on a loan application.

Prosecutors say Weinhagen invented a fictitious consulting firm called Synergy Partners, claiming it was owned by “James Sullivan,” a fake identity he created. As head of the Chamber, Weinhagen allegedly used his authority to enter into contracts between the organization and his own shell company, funneling Chamber funds to accounts he controlled.

Court documents state that Weinhagen caused the Chamber to pay Synergy Partners more than $100,000 through sham contracts and withdrew an additional $125,000 from a Chamber line of credit that he opened and transferred to the same account. Prosecutors say he used the money for personal expenses, including family travel to Hawaii.

When questions arose, Weinhagen allegedly tried to erase evidence of the fake company by sending phony emails suggesting Synergy Partners had closed and that “James Sullivan” had died. Investigators say he even went as far as publishing a fabricated obituary for Sullivan online, claiming he died of pancreatic cancer.

Weinhagen is also accused of misusing Chamber credit cards to pay for a family vacation and other personal charges.

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In a separate scheme detailed in the indictment, prosecutors say the Chamber sent $30,000 to Crime Stoppers in 2021 to support rewards in three child shooting cases. When the rewards went unclaimed after a year, Weinhagen allegedly arranged to have the funds returned but directed Crime Stoppers to send the check to his home, which he falsely claimed was the Chamber’s new address.

Federal prosecutors further allege that Weinhagen lied about his employment status and income while applying for a $54,661 personal bank loan, which was ultimately denied.

Weinhagen served as CEO of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber from October 2016 until his resignation in June 2024. At the time, the Chamber said his departure followed an internal review of its financial practices. During his tenure, Weinhagen was a prominent figure in the Twin Cities business community, regularly appearing alongside civic and political leaders and advocating for economic initiatives across the region.

He also served on the Mounds View School Board up until shortly after the indictment was made public, with a board representative telling MPR News on Friday that Weinhagen had resigned “effective immediately.” The remaining members are reportedly discussing the steps required to fill the rest of his term.

If convicted, Weinhagen faces significant federal prison time.

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