A glittering Minneapolis CEO was accused of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund a first-class trip to Hawaii, complete with an oceanfront stay.
Jonathan Weinhagen, 42, skyrocketed to the top – from working at his family’s auto repair shop to an executive role at the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, to being made president of Minneapolis’ Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Now the married father-of-four is expected to enter a guilty plea after he was accused of embezzling over $200,000 from the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce, Star Tribune reported.
Weinhagen was slapped with a slew of charges, including fraud involving a fictional company, a fabricated obituary, and alleged theft of a $30,000 chamber donation to a Crime Stoppers reward fund.
The high-flying businessman, who made about $275,000 in 2023, abruptly resigned as CEO in June 2024, according to the Tribune.
Six weeks later, the chamber announced his resignation came after an internal financial investigation was made, discovering a $500,000 budget shortfall that triggered layoffs.
Since his departure and while the investigation into his conduct has been ongoing, his wife posted smiling pictures of the pair on Facebook, jet-setting to Copenhagen, New York and other vacation hotspots.
Jonathan Weinhagen and his wife, is expected to enter a guilty plea on Monday, after he was accused of embezzling over $200,000 from the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce
The pair jet-setting in first class on their way to Copenhagen in August this year
The investigation also revealed that almost $300,000 of the chamber money had vanished during the CEO’s tenure.
Weinhagen’s alleged fraudulent scheme spanned from 2019 until his resignation in June 2024.
Prosecutors allege that more than $200,000 was stolen under a fake company called Synergy Partners, that the CEO created using the name ‘James Sullivan.’
Weinhagen allegedly claimed Synergy Partners had dissolved after Sullivan’s death, posting a fake obituary on Legacy.com in 2024.
Federal charges claim the self-made CEO used a Minneapolis chamber credit card for personal splurges, including a lavish Hawaii trip for him and his family.
The CEO also attempted to fraudulently receive a loan for nearly $55,000 from SoFi bank, federal charges allege.
Prosecutors allege the chamber’s $30,000 reward for tips on solving three shootings to Crime Stoppers went unclaimed, and Weinhagen allegedly had it refunded to his home address.
Weinhagen and his wife dressed up for Oktoberfest, he made about who made about $275,000 in 2023
Weinhagen’s home in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis CEO was accused of embezzling over six figures to fund a first-class trip to Hawaii. Luxurious oceanfront hotel (file)
Weinhagen sipping on a martini, his alleged fraudulent scheme spanned from 2019 until his resignation in 2024
This stacked list has left his coworkers dumbfounded, as they respected Weinhagen’s self-starter hustle and have worked with him for years.
‘When I first heard about it, it was like ‘Good god, what?” co-worker Scott Burns told the Tribune.
‘He was a good candidate to get the job in Minneapolis,’ former St. Paul chamber’s board chair John Regal told the Tribune.
Weinhagen’s work style has been described as ‘energetic’ and ‘gregarious’ but also ‘polarizing.’
Weinhagen’s home is worth a half-million-dollars, with four beds, two-and-a-half bathrooms, complete with a three car garage and a total of 3,259 sq ft.
The Daily Mail has approached Weinhagen’s attorney for comment.
