Former Sanford Center Executive Director Faces Financial Crime Charges

Beltrami County Attorney David Hanson announced Monday that charges against former Sanford Center Executive Director Curtis Webb will be filed in District Court in connection to financial crimes.

According to a release from the Beltrami County Attorney, Webb will be charged for the alleged financial crimes he committed while he was Executive Director of the Sanford Center in Bemidji from 2013 to 2016.

Webb is being charged with a single count of Theft by Swindle for a scheme involving tens of thousands of dollars for fraudulent expense reimbursements. Investigators from the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office were able to track down records of Webb’s reimbursement requests which often included airfares, hotels, rental cars, event registration and food. According to the release, no record of Webb attending those events were found when investigators contacted numerous hotels and venues. Flight records that were also obtained by investigators supported the fact that Webb did not attend the events he claimed to, and in some cases even directly contradicted his claims. For example, according to the release, Webb claimed to attend one event in New York City when he actually flew to Cleveland, OH during the time in question.

According to the release, Webb’s conduct was the subject of a Minnesota State Auditor’s Office investigative report which concluded that Webb was involved in over $100,000 worth of improper or questionable transactions.

Webb currently is facing charges in McLean County, Illinois in connection to a similar scheme involving the U.S. Cellular Coliseum where Webb was employed as an Executive Director after he left Bemidji.

Hanson thanks Investigator Joseph Kleszyk for his work in unraveling this very complex case.