Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has filed criminal charges against Keith Schaefer, the owner of Evergreen Acres Dairy, LLC. The charges include one count of felony racketeering and four counts of wage theft exceeding $5,000. These charges were filed in Stearns County District Court.
The criminal complaint states that Schaefer was involved in various aspects of the dairy's operations, such as hiring, firing, scheduling, and payroll management. It is alleged that he systematically deprived workers of their wages and subjected them to abuse.
A referral from Stearns County Attorney Janelle Kendall prompted Attorney General Ellison's office to file these charges under Minnesota Statutes Sec. 8.01. This statute allows the attorney general to appear in court for criminal cases deemed appropriate upon request by a county attorney.
Previously, Ellison had sued Evergreen Acres and Schaefer for civil violations related to wage payment failures, record-keeping issues, and breaches of state habitability laws.
The investigation into this case was conducted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Keith Schaefer remains presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.