Ashby Elevator Embezzling Scheme Prompts Call For Farmer Protections

by Dana Ferguson of

Forum News Service

Minnesota lawmakers should weigh extra safeguards for farmers to prevent grain elevator fraud cases like one discovered last year in Ashby.

That’s according to attorneys working on behalf of the producers that were affected by Ashby Farmers Cooperative Elevator Co. embezzling scheme, which came to light last year. The elevator’s former manager, Jerome “Jerry” Hennessey, wrote checks from the elevator totaling more than $5.5 million for personal purchases including home improvements, international big game hunts and taxidermy.

See The Post and Forum News Service for more of the story.