Ex-Minnesota Revenue Auditor Pleads Guilty In Theft

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- A former auditor with the Minnesota Department of Revenue has pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $2 million in state funds by creating false tax returns.

Fifty-eight-year-old Pamela Dellis of Lindstrom pleaded guilty Monday to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and one count of money laundering.

Dellis' sister, 55-year-old Nancy Sondrall of Brooklyn Center, and her niece, 28-year-old Laurie Sondrall of Minneapolis, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy for their roles in the scheme.

In their plea agreements, the three admitted that they conspired over a five-year period ending last September to defraud the state of Minnesota by embezzling money through false tax refund checks.

Prosecutors say Dellis was responsible for more than 200 fraudulent tax refund payments totaling about $1.9 million.

A sentencing date has not been set.