Christopher Erik Septon, $1M Embezzlement, Minnesota 2024

MINNEAPOLIS – Christopher Erik Septon, age 52, of Plymouth, Minnesota, is facing federal charges after allegedly pilfering more than $1 million from his former employer, Ellis Properties. The indictment, unsealed yesterday, details a meticulously crafted scheme of deception and abuse of trust that spanned over a decade.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson didn’t mince words: “Fraudsters never stop inventing new ways to steal, and Septon’s crime—posing as government agencies in his scheme to embezzle more than a million dollars—was no exception,” Thompson stated. “The fraudsters of Minnesota should understand this: no matter how clever the con, we are coming for you, and you will face federal justice.”

According to the indictment, Septon worked at Ellis Properties, a Minneapolis-based commercial real estate firm, from 2010 until his scheme unraveled earlier this year. He held a position of authority, responsible for handling company funds and paying vendors. Instead, he allegedly exploited that trust, siphoning off company money for personal gain. The indictment alleges Septon improperly charged over $800,000 on the company credit card, funnelling the funds into his own payment-processing accounts. He then allegedly masked these transactions, writing false memos to make them appear legitimate business expenses.

But the deception didn’t stop there. Septon also allegedly submitted fraudulent reimbursement requests for expenses he never paid, backing them up with fabricated invoices and emails. Even more brazenly, the indictment claims Septon impersonated government agencies – including the City of Minneapolis, the Metropolitan Council, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency – to falsely claim Ellis Properties owed them money, then redirected those funds to himself. This calculated move aimed to further obscure his theft and make it appear as legitimate payments.

Investigators allege that Septon then laundered the ill-gotten gains, transferring the money between accounts before retaining it for his personal use. The total amount embezzled exceeds $1 million. Septon made his initial appearance in court yesterday and is now charged with four counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. If convicted on all counts, he faces significant prison time and financial penalties.

The investigation was a collaborative effort between IRS-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Minneapolis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Forbes is leading the prosecution. It’s crucial to remember that an indictment is simply an allegation, and Septon is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as it develops.

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