Becker Corn Farmer Ordered To Repay $1.4M In USDA Loan Fraud Case
BECKER, MINN. (WCCO) -- A federal judge has ordered a Becker farmer to repay $1.4 million in loan money he stole from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The U.S. Attorney's Office says Robert Waldon John Anderson, 67, took out five loans with the Commodity Credit Corporation between 2017 and 2018, according to court documents. Anderson was supposed to keep bushels of corn as collateral per his agreement with the CCC.
But a spot check conducted by the Farm Service Agency in late 2018 revealed that his corn bins were practically empty. Further investigation revealed that Anderson sold the corn while using the name of a family member, and he also took out other loans fraudulently by filing under the names of other family members.
Investigators say Anderson stole a total of $1,425,718 from the USDA. He pleaded guilty in May to a count of conversion of CCC security.
Anderson will also have to serve three years of probation and 150 hours of community service.