02.21.08
Even Minnesota Nice
Minnesotans believe they have more than their fair share of honesty and integrity. They seem to believe everyone is good and honest unless proven otherwise. They call themselves “Minnesota nice.” A transplant from the east coast once quipped “Ah yes, Minnesota… the land of the nice, being nice to the nice.” He didn’t believe it, and ended up moving back to New York. Perhaps he was right.
Case in point: Yesterday, a “nice” 50-year-old Chaska, Minnesota woman pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering charges that netted her more than $2.5 million in her title business. The woman was the sole owner of the title company that closed residential mortgage loans and real estate sales. Her underwriter, obviously to ward off problems, apparently required her company to deposit sale and mortgage proceeds into a specified escrow account funds where it could be monitored. However, unbeknownst to the underwriter, she deposited a significant amount of money from closings into another account, and used the stolen money on houses, landscaping, a vehicle, motor home, a cabin and a boat. The case was investigated by a nice guy who works at the criminal division of the Internal Revenue Service.