Southern Minnesota man charged in $75K American Legion fraud case

A southern Minnesota man was charged Thursday after he took more than $75,000 from the Dodge Center American Legion. According to a criminal complaint, 53-year-old Rich Klindworth Jr. faces a charge of financial transaction card fraud. Court records show Klindworth used the Dodge Center American Legion’s credit card and bank account for purchases dating back to 2024. The complaint said the Legion first found that Klindworth had spent $16,369.79 from its bank account on his own behalf. Amazon records showed 536 of 600 purchases were for his personal use, totaling roughly $35,144.74. Court records also said the Legion spent another $40,346.26 on in-person and online purchases from businesses in Minnesota and other states. The complaint said the Legion was charged a total of $75,491.00. On Oct. 14, authorities carried out a search warrant at Klindworth’s home in Dodge Center and found several items that matched purchases made with the Legion credit card. Minnesota American