Tentative Plea Deal in High-Profile Rochester Embezzlement Case

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Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The second defendant in a high-profile Rochester embezzlement case today filed a Petition to Enter Guilty Plea in Olmsted County Court.

According to court documents, 56-year-old Loretta Lynn Taylor has agreed to enter guilty pleas to three felony counts of theft by swindle. In exchange, Olmsted County prosecutors have agreed to dismiss an aiding and abetting theft by swindle charge. They also agreed to not file tax-related criminal charges against Taylor involving allegations of her activities while she was employed by Reichel Foods.

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The criminal complaint against the St. Charles woman indicates she was the financial controller for Reichel Foods in Rochester when she was accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from her employer. Her boss was Thomas Wiechmann, who was sentenced to three years on probation after he entered an Alford plea to a theft by swindle charge. The plea means he did not admit guilt but acknowledged there is enough evidence to convict him of the crime.

He was accused of stealing more than $600,000 from Reichel Foods while he was employed as the second-highest-ranked executive officer at the Rochester firm. Wiechmann was fired by Reichel Foods in March 2021 after the theft of a large amount of money was discovered.

Taylor was accused of being involved in more than 1800 unauthorized credit card transactions on a Reichel Foods credit card for purchases that exceeded $150,000 between 2013 and 2021. The tentative plea agreement recommends a stayed sentence and up to five years on probation.

A date for her plea hearing and sentencing has yet to be scheduled.