A small Minnesota suicide-prevention nonprofit that grew out of a family tragedy is now facing another gut punch, after its longtime executive director was charged with allegedly stealing nearly $220,000 from the charity’s own coffers.
Prosecutors say the suspected embezzlement went on for years and has blown a hole in the budget of Dylan’s Hope Foundation, which was formed in honor of Becker High School student Dylan Aaseby after his 2013 death. With felony charges now filed and a court date on the calendar for April, the family-run group is juggling audits, law enforcement inquiries, and the day-to-day work of keeping suicide-prevention efforts afloat.
Charges and court date
Authorities have identified the defendant as 46-year-old Ryan Gary Obermoller of Monticello, who was charged on Feb. 17 with two felony counts of theft by swindling, according to the Star Tribune. The criminal complaint links the alleged thefts to Dylan’s Hope Foundation, the nonprofit Dylan’s relatives launched after his death. Obermoller was charged by summons and is scheduled to appear in Sherburne County District Court on April 8.
How investigators say he did it
Questions first bubbled up in August 2025 after a charity golf tournament’s numbers did not seem to add up. Investigators say Obermoller reported that the event brought in about $51,500, while internal records suggested the total was closer to $67,000, according to KSTP.
Charging documents outline a trail of handwritten checks from 2018 through 2025 that prosecutors say were made out to Obermoller and deposited into his personal accounts, totaling roughly $219,173. Records also allege that payee fields in the foundation’s QuickBooks system were altered to hide withdrawals. In addition, WJON reported that Obermoller told foundation leaders he had repaid $22,000, while investigators say about $29,500 has actually been returned so far.
Family response and program cuts
The foundation, created after Dylan Aaseby’s death, is run by his relatives, who say the alleged theft has forced them to pull back some outreach efforts, according to the Star Tribune. “We started this to help kids,” cofounder Britt Aaseby told the paper. “And to put himself ahead of kids … he’s taken a tragedy and tried to make it his game.”
Dylan’s sister Jennifer has stepped in to cover duties the family says were left in limbo as they work to steady the organization and figure out what can be salvaged.
Legal stakes
Under Minnesota law, theft by swindling becomes a felony when the value taken exceeds $35,000. A conviction at that level can bring up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $100,000, according to state statutes. Any potential sentence would depend on the final calculation of the loss and other factors the court weighs at sentencing.
How big a hole this leaves
Public tax filings and nonprofit databases show Dylan’s Hope reported about $56,742 in total revenue in 2024. That means the alleged $219,000 loss is several times a typical year’s fundraising and could derail planned grants and school-based programs, according to CauseIQ. Foundation leaders say they are combing through financial records, cooperating with investigators, and trying to keep core services running while they seek to recover what they can.
Next steps and where to get help
Obermoller was charged by summons in mid-February and is due back in court in early April as the case moves forward and the investigation continues.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, you can call or text 988 or chat online at 988lifeline.org for 24/7 support, according to SAMHSA.
