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Fairmont man allegedly swindled elderly woman

FAIRMONT — A Fairmont man is facing felony charges in Martin County.

Tiger Dan Mason, 44, has been charged with one count of theft by swindle in excess of $35,000, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

Mason is also charged with one count of theft by swindle in excess of $5,000, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

According to the complaint:

On Oct. 7, 2019, the Fairmont Police Department received a Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting report, which indicated that Mason had been doing work around the home of an 81-year-old woman. The reporter indicated Mason had been doing small jobs, such as working on the roof, painting the sidewalk and performing some jobs inside the house. The reporter believed the woman had paid Mason about $100,000 over the previous five years.

On Oct. 15, 2019, an officer met with the Adult Protection worker assigned to the case. The two went to Profinium Bank in Fairmont where the woman did her banking. The pair spoke to an employee who expressed concerns about the woman writing checks to Mason, indicating she lost track of how many checks she had written.

The officer and the worker reviewed records from the account, showing that between April 1, 2019, and Sept. 30, 2019, the woman wrote Mason 16 checks totaling $47,100.

The officer and the worker went to the woman’s home in Fairmont and knocked on her door. She did not answer immediately, later explaining she thought it was Mason because he comes by every day and she won’t answer the door for him anymore.

While talking with the woman, she said she cannot get rid of Mason. She explained that every time he does something for her, he says he cannot afford things and she needs to pay for it right away. She then shared some of the work he had done, indicating he had not given her any kind of contract for the roof.

The woman indicated she has probably given Mason $100,000 over the years, which she believed was “way too much.” She indicated Mason would always tell her that there was work that would need to be done and she was not going to like it but it would cost a lot. She explained every time Mason wanted to do something it was more than $1,000, and said Mason knows to come to her house when she is busy and does not have time to check up on anything.

On Oct. 29, 2019, the officer interviewed Mason at the Martin County Law Enforcement Center. He explained that he started working for the woman in 2008.

In detailing some of the work he has done, Mason said he believed the woman had spent about $30,000 with him. The officer stated it was almost $50,000 that year alone and said it was ridiculous, and Mason said he understands. Mason said that if the woman is not satisfied, he cannot pay back all of the money, but he can pay part of it back.

The officer went through the 16 checks Mason had received from April 1, 2019, to Sept. 30, 2019. Most were in amounts that were exorbitant for the work that he allegedly performed. For three of the checks, totaling $5,600, Mason could not tell the officer what they were for.

When asked how he was getting by doing this with his taxes, Mason said he does not pay taxes, never in his life. Mason said he does not know what he did with the money, and admitted to a gambling habit.

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