SUPERIOR — A Duluth man with a criminal history of fraud made an initial appearance in Douglas County Circuit Court Thursday, May 4 for a felony theft charge.
Gale Allen Rachuy, 73, faces one count of theft-false representation. He is accused of representing himself as a bail bondsman and refusing to refund $7,500 that was sent to him by the reported victim.
A $2,500 cash bond was set for Rachuy, and he was ordered to have no contact with the victim.
A Douglas County man who was trying to bail his friend out of jail contacted Rachuy via text message, according to the criminal complaint. Rachuy allegedly told the man he was affiliated with a bonding agency. Via a mobile pay app, Rachuy received $7,500 from the victim to bail the man's friend out of jail in St. Louis County. The friend was not released. When the victim contacted the bonding agency Rachuy claimed to be with, he learned the Duluth man had never been an employee.
The victim told Deputy Pat Carey with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office that Rachuy agreed to transfer the money back to him, but did not do so. Det. Ed Gallagher with the sheriff’s office contacted Rachuy in September, and the Duluth man reportedly admitted taking the victim’s money. Rachuy told the detective he would drop a check off with the sheriff’s office, then said he would send the money back via the app, but did not return any funds to the victim.
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A $500 cash bond was set for a separate Douglas County case against Rachuy for issue of worthless checks.
Rachuy has been charged in at least 56 criminal cases involving more than 90 counts of theft and swindling in Minnesota dating back to the early 1970s, according to a Dec. 14, 2022 Duluth News Tribune article. He is currently facing wire fraud charges in federal court, as well.
The felony theft charge carries a maximum penalty of six years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000. Rachuy remained in custody at the Douglas County Jail on Friday, May 5. His next court appearance was set for Tuesday, May 9.
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