A former leader of North Star Cemetery in St. Cloud is accused of embezzling more than $350,000 from the nonprofit that manages the historic burial ground, including money drawn from certificates of deposit meant to permanently fund the cemetery's upkeep. Roger J. Robinson, 66, is now facing a felony count of theft by swindle in Stearns County District Court, alongside a separate civil lawsuit from cemetery association members seeking to recover the missing funds.
According to the Minnesota Star Tribune, Robinson assumed a leadership role with the North Star Cemetery Association in 2020 and, per the civil complaint, almost immediately began opening bank accounts in the organization's name without disclosing them to other members. He is also accused of removing fellow members as authorized signatories on the group's bank account that same year, according to the civil complaint, cutting off their ability to monitor where cemetery funds were going.
North Star Cemetery, located in St. Cloud, is described in the civil complaint as the city's oldest active cemetery. It was established in 1864 by the Watab Masonic Lodge, according to the Star Tribune's reporting, on what the Stearns History Museum notes was originally a 20-acre parcel where grave plots sold for around 25 cents apiece.
Perpetual Care Fund Allegedly Drained
The civil complaint alleges that Robinson liquidated four certificates of deposit belonging to the association's perpetual care fund and deposited $251,500 in proceeds into an account held only in his name. Under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 306, which governs public cemetery associations, principal in these permanent care funds is supposed to remain intact, with only the earnings dedicated to maintaining and improving cemetery grounds, per the Minnesota Revisor's Office.
Board members learned in October 2024 that the certificates of deposit had been cashed and moved into an unknown account, according to the criminal complaint. That discovery came roughly four years after Robinson allegedly began transferring money to a separate account tied to Templar Business Resources, a for-profit company the civil complaint identifies as owned by Robinson.
The civil complaint further alleges that Robinson diverted about $29,000 in cemetery customer electronic payment deposits and roughly $51,000 in customer check payments away from the organization. He is also accused, per the criminal complaint, of using the association's primary account as collateral on loans that were not used for the cemetery's or the organization's benefit.
Spending Detailed in Court Filings
Investigators found that Robinson used nearly all funds from the association's primary account for his own personal use, according to the criminal complaint. The civil complaint alleges the diverted money went toward personal expenses including transfers to himself, personal checks, restaurants, retail purchases, gas and hotel stays.
The criminal complaint listed at least $202,000 as the total amount taken, a figure that does not match the more than $350,000 alleged across both the criminal and civil cases. Investigators were still working to collect additional evidence from accounting software as of early August, according to the Star Tribune's reporting, suggesting the final accounting may shift as the case proceeds.
The criminal investigation began in October 2024, per the criminal complaint, and prosecutors filed the criminal complaint in November 2025. Robinson's civil-case attorney denied the allegations on Aug. 10, 2026.
Wayne Longwell is listed as the nonprofit's president in its state business registration. North Star Cemetery Association members are suing Robinson in the separate civil case, seeking reimbursement for the allegedly stolen money plus interest and attorney costs.
A Burial Ground Tied to St. Cloud's Founding
The cemetery's history runs deep in Stearns County. John and Harriet Wilson, who helped establish and incorporate St. Cloud in the mid-1850s, are buried at North Star Cemetery, tying the site directly to the city's civic origins. Jacob Brower, recognized as the founder of Itasca State Park, is also interred there.
Minnesota law offers a backstop if the financial strain proves too much for the association to bear. Under Minnesota Statute § 306.025, a private cemetery association that disbands or becomes unable to operate can transfer its property and perpetual care funds to a local city or county, which then inherits the legal duty to uphold perpetual care commitments for plot holders, according to the Minnesota Revisor's Office. It remains an open question how the North Star Cemetery Association plans to rebuild its permanent care reserves if the missing funds are not recovered.
If convicted, Robinson faces the maximum penalties tied to Minnesota's theft by swindle statute for losses exceeding $35,000: up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $100,000, or both, under Minnesota Statute § 609.52.
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