Rochester Man Accused of Evading Taxes on $2.4 Million of Income

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Rochester man is facing a list of felony tax evasion charges.

A criminal complaint filed in Olmsted County Court indicates the Minnesota Department of Revenue began investigating 41-year-old Stephen Craig Stensrud in July of last year after receiving an anonymous tip that he had not filed his individual tax returns for the last six years.

Rochester Man Accused of Hiding Income Totaling More Than $2.4 Million

It was alleged that Stensrud failed to report income that he earned doing roofing and home remodeling work by having customers pay him using checks made out to him personally with no business name listed. The court document says a Department of Revenue investigator reviewed Stensrud's financial records and discovered that he had opened a number of personal bank accounts and deposited more than $2.4 million from 2018 through 2023 to allegedly evade potential tax liability.

The criminal complaint states that the Department of Revenue investigation determined that Stensrud owes more than $315,000 in taxes, penalties, and interest.

He faces 12 felony counts of either failure to pay or collect taxes or failure to file return, report, and document taxes.

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A summons sent to Stensrud orders him to appear in Olmsted County Court for arraignment on the charges in January.