Woman Sent to Federal Prison for $1.8 Million Fraud Schemes

MINNEAPOLIS (WJON News) -- A Chisago County woman will serve 21 months in federal prison and pay one-point-seven million dollars in restitution for her role in multiple schemes from 2017 through April 2022.

Prosecutors say 70-year-old Gayle Ferngren of Rush City was part of a scheme to launder proceeds that were fraudulently obtained from victims including the proceeds of romance fraud scams and schemes to defraud Federal Pandemic Assistance Programs.

Fergren admitted to receiving at least 68 debit cards containing one-point-three-million dollars in fraudulent unemployment benefits from California and Nevada.