12/03/2024

Minneapolis Woman Charged in Widespread Identity Theft Scheme Involving Over $35,000 in Losses

Limitless Media

APPLE VALLEY, MINNESOTA - Catherine Joy Wertman, 26, of Minneapolis, is facing multiple felony charges in Dakota County for an alleged identity theft scheme spanning multiple counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Court documents detail an extensive fraud operation that victimized at least 12 individuals and caused combined losses exceeding $35,000. Wertman now faces up to 20 years in prison and $100,000 in fines if convicted.

Details of the Case

The investigation began on April 18, 2024, when an Apple Valley Police Department officer responded to a theft report from a vehicle at Everbrook Academy in Apple Valley. A victim reported her cell phone, laptop, credit cards, and driver’s license had been stolen. Surveillance footage revealed a passenger in a light blue Lincoln Navigator accessing the victim's car. Further investigation uncovered a series of similar thefts, including another incident on April 5, 2024, in Eagan, Minnesota. Stolen identification and banking information from victims were later used to cash fraudulent checks and rent vehicles, all linked to Wertman through surveillance footage and transactional evidence.