Bemidji Owner Faces Felony IRA Theft Charges

Beltrami County (trfnews.i234.me) — A Bemidji business owner faces two felony theft charges involving employee retirement funds.

Christopher Djonne is charged in Beltrami County District Court under court file 04-CR-26-1326.

The complaint alleges money was withheld from employee paychecks but was not deposited into SIMPLE IRA accounts.

Retirement Contributions Questioned

Djonne created Djonne, Inc. in Minnesota in 2010, according to the complaint.

The Bemidji parcel delivery company established a SIMPLE IRA plan for employees in 2015.

The plan required employee deductions and matching contributions from the employer.

Investigators said contributions from September 2021 through June 2023 remained unpaid.

Former employees reported that paycheck deductions never reached their retirement accounts.

They also said required employer matching payments were not deposited.

The allegations led to an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration.

The agency oversees protections for private retirement and workplace benefit plans.

Investigators compared company payroll records with employee account statements from Edward Jones.

The complaint says employees were owed more than $40,000 in combined employee and employer contributions.

It says $25,709.12 was deposited into the plan for employees.

Investigators calculated $14,468.24 in combined unpaid contributions during reviewed periods.

The complaint later alleges $13,736 was taken during specific charging periods.

That amount included $9,518.50 withheld from paychecks and $4,217.50 in employer contributions.

The first count alleges theft exceeding $5,000.

That charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years, a $20,000 fine, or both.

The second count alleges theft between $1,000 and $5,000.

That charge carries up to five years, a $10,000 fine, or both.

Readers can review public case information through Minnesota Court Records Online.

The charges are allegations and do not prove guilt.

Djonne is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

I’m Adrian Cole reporting for TRF News.