When John Nguyen Lutgen sat down at his Minnesota Cannabis Services-issued computer between July and August of 2026, he wasn’t just working a standard administrative shift. According to criminal charges filed in Hennepin County, the St. Paul resident was systematically siphoning tens of thousands of dollars from the Edina-based professional consulting firm using software that recorded his actions.
Fox 9 reported that the City of Inver Grove Heights triggered the investigation when municipal officials asked the business to rewrite a check directly to Lutgen instead of the corporate entity itself.
Inside the Altered Check Timeline
Investigators from the Edina Police Department received the compliance report on August 21, 2026. When Lutgen was confronted by the compliance officer, they reportedly found three physical checks inside his backpack that he was not authorized to be in possession of. A subsequent investigation revealed that he had used his Minnesota Cannabis Services-issued computer to alter the checks, with software recording his actions, during a scheme that allegedly occurred between July 10 and Aug. 19, 2026.
| Date | Amount |
|---|---|
| July 3, 2026 | $825.00 |
| July 10, 2026 | $3,922.00 |
| July 10, 2026 | $1,540.00 |
| July 13, 2026 | $3,312.00 |
| July 20, 2026 | $2,880.00 |
| July 22, 2026 | $1,250.00 |
| July 23, 2026 | $6,480.00 |
| Aug. 3, 2026 | $2,075.00 |
| Aug. 6, 2026 | $1,440.00 |
| Aug. 14, 2026 | $609.60 |
| Aug. 17, 2026 | $3,060.00 |
| Aug. 19, 2026 | $1,142.00 |
The stolen sums ranged from a modest $609.60 deposit on August 14 up to a substantial $6,480 transaction executed on July 23. In total, the charges outline a systematic diversion of over $28,000 routed directly into Lutgen’s personal bank account.
Consulting Firm Principal Faces Theft and Forgery Charges
Minnesota Cannabis Services operates as a professional consulting and staffing firm, partnering with operators across cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, and retail sectors. Providing legal and regulatory compliance, accounting and financial planning, business analytics, marketing, staffing, human resources and more to the industry means the firm itself occupies a position of regulatory trust.
Lutgen now faces one count of theft by swindle and one count of check forgery in Hennepin County.
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