Fargo Woman Loses $29K Theft Restitution Appeal

FARGO, N.D. (trfnews.i234.me) — The North Dakota Supreme Court has upheld a $29,032.13 restitution order against Alexis Engelking.

The court issued its decision on July 23, 2026. It affirmed an amended criminal judgment from Cass County District Court.

Engelking pleaded guilty to felony theft on October 13, 2025. She had worked as a controller for two Fargo education companies.

Those businesses were Salon Professional Education Company and The Salon Professional Academy. Engelking handled payroll and managed company taxes.

Unauthorized Payment Discovered

Court records show company president Jodi Brown approved one $12,000 personal loan. Engelking later issued herself another $12,000 payment without approval.

The companies ended Engelking’s employment in August 2024. A review of the businesses’ records then uncovered more financial issues.

The investigation found unpaid employee insurance premiums connected to Engelking’s paychecks. It also required outside accounting work and added staff time.

A district court later ordered Engelking to pay $29,032.13 in restitution. The total included the unauthorized $12,000 payment.

It also included $1,362.46 in unpaid insurance premiums. Investigative costs made up the remaining amount.

Restitution Costs Challenged

Engelking appealed the restitution order to the North Dakota Supreme Court. She did not dispute the unauthorized $12,000 payment.

Instead, she challenged the added investigation costs and insurance premiums. She argued those losses were not directly caused by the theft.

The Supreme Court rejected both arguments. Justices found the investigation was directly linked to Engelking’s actions.

The court said the businesses needed the review to find the theft’s full extent. The review also helped correct accounting problems.

Justices also upheld the insurance premium portion. They found those funds should have been withheld from Engelking’s paychecks.

The court said Engelking controlled payroll and knowingly avoided the deductions. That conduct caused a direct loss to the businesses.

Full Restitution Order Remains

The ruling affirmed the amended judgment and full restitution amount. Engelking remains responsible for paying $29,032.13.

She received a three-year prison sentence. The sentence includes 30 days in the Cass County Jail.

She was also ordered to serve 18 months of supervised probation. The restitution order remains part of the case.

Readers can review the North Dakota Supreme Court decision.

North Dakota’s restitution and sentencing laws are also available online.

I’m Adrian Cole reporting for TRF News.