MIL-OSI Security: Owner Of St Cloud Press Bar Charged With Arson, Insurance Fraud Scheme foreignaffairs.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from foreignaffairs.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Dec 12, 2020
ST. CLOUD (AP) –The owner of a historic St. Cloud bar has been indicted on federal arson and wire fraud charges for allegedly setting fire to the business and submitting a fraudulent insurance claim, prosecutors announced Friday.
Andrew Welsh, 41, of St. Joseph, was arrested Friday by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. He is accused of burning down the Press Bar and Parlor, a century-old establishment in downtown St. Cloud. Damage was estimated at $1 million.
A federal indictment unsealed Friday charges Welsh with one count of arson, one count of using fire to commit a federal felony and one count of wire fraud. Welsh was initially charged in state court, but the Stearns County Attorney’s Office says the case will now be prosecuted in federal court, where Welsh could face stiffer penalties.
Grand Jury Indicts Press Bar Owner on Federal Charges power96radio.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from power96radio.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Press Bar owner now faces federal charges in fire that destroyed his St. Cloud business
The owner of the Press Bar and Parlor in St. Cloud is now facing federal arson and wire fraud charges in connection to the Feb. 17 blaze. The case against Andrew Charles Welsh will now be prosecuted by the United States Attorney s Office. 6:11 pm, Dec. 11, 2020 ×
The Press Bar in St. Cloud was destroyed by fire Feb. 17. The owner was originally charged with arson in Stearns County and has now been indicted on federal charges. Mark Wasson / West Central Tribune file photo
ST. CLOUD The owner of the Press Bar and Parlor that was destroyed by fire Feb. 17 in St. Cloud now faces federal charges.
Updated: 4:16 PM CST December 11, 2020
ST. CLOUD, Minn. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) agents arrested the owner of the Press Bar on Friday with a federal grand jury indictment, according to a Stearns County Attorney s Office news release.
Prosecutors indicted Andrew Charles Welsh with three counts, including arson, use of fire to commit a federal felony and wire fraud, according to the federal indictment
The indictment is related to the fire that destroyed the Press Bar and Parlor in downtown St. Cloud on Feb. 17.
Authorities say Welsh burned down the bar to collect insurance money. Welsh devised and carried out a scheme to commit wire fraud by intentionally setting fire to his business and then submitting a fraudulent claim for about $1.4 million in insurance proceeds, according to the indictment.