St. Charles Woman Sentenced For Swindling Rochester Business

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Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A St. Charles woman has been sentenced to five years on probation for convictions stemming from a high-profile Rochester embezzlement case.

56-year-old Loretta Lynn Taylor previously entered guilty pleas to three felony counts of theft by swindle. Under the terms of her plea agreement, another charge of aiding and abetting theft by swindle was dismissed and Olmsted County prosecutors agreed to not file tax-related criminal charges against Taylor involving her activities while she was an employee of Reichel Foods.

The criminal complaint in the case says she was the financial controller for the company when she was accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars. The firm's second-highest ranking executive, Thomas Weichmann was earlier sentenced to three years on probation after he entered an Alford plea to a theft by swindle charge. The plea means he does not admit guilt but acknowledges there is sufficient evidence to convict him.

Weichmann was accused of stealing more than $600,000 from Reichel Foods before he was fired by the company in March 2021. His termination occurred shortly after the theft of a large amount of money was discovered. He and Taylor are also named in a civil lawsuit filed by the company in an effort to recoup its losses from the thefts.

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