Rochester Company’s Former CFO Sentenced in Embezzlement Case

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Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - An Austin man has been sentenced to three years on probation in a high-profile Rochester embezzlement case.

57-year-old Thomas Wiechmann was sentenced this afternoon in Olmsted County Court for his conviction on a charge of theft by swindle. The former chief financial officer for Rochester's Reichel Foods earlier entered an Alford plea to the charge, which means he does not admit guilt but acknowledges there is sufficient evidence to convict him.

Wiechmann was accused of stealing more than $600,000 from the company between 2013 and 2019 while he was employed as the second-highest-ranking executive officer at Reichel Foods. It was alleged that he used company credit cards for personal purchases and retained reward points from the credit card for his own use.

Wiechmann was fired by Reichel Foods and March 2021 after the theft of a large amount of money was discovered. He had worked for the company since 1997.

Another high-ranking company official was also charged in the case. 55-year-old Loretta Taylor of St. Charles is accused of aiding and abetting theft by swindle involving over 1800 unauthorized credit card transactions for purchases costing in excess of $150,000 between 2013 and 2021. Her criminal case is still pending.