Charges filed in gambling-related thefts from Minnesota charities

Minn. Dept. of Public Safety

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Eight people face felony charges for stealing allegedly nearly $200,000 in pull tab funds intended for Minnesota youth sports, veterans, and community organizations.

The division of State Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement says a 14-month investigation found that 50-year-old Arron King Sr. of St. Paul led the scheme between March of 2023 and February of last year. Prosecutors say they used pry bars and sledgehammers to break into buildings and the safes that contained cash from pull tab sales.

The money was intended for charities including the Howard Lake and Stillwater American Legions posts, Champlin-Dayton Athletic Association, Rogers, Monticello, and Roseville Hockey Association, Forest Lake VFW, and Hopkins Raspberry Association.