A Chanhassen man has become the third person to plead guilty in a $20 million mortgage fraud scheme that involved 57 properties. Douglas Rex Butler faces up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of fraud.

A woman from Savage was sentenced to 60 months in prison Friday for her role in a multi-million-dollar mortgage fraud scheme that victimized lenders across the country. Barbara Lynnae Puro, 49, was sentenced after pleading guilty in March to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

A federal jury in Minneapolis found Jason "Bo" Beckman, Gerald Durand and Patrick Kiley guilty of all charges for their role in helping convicted fraudster Trevor Cook. Each defendant was facing numerous counts of wire and mail fraud, money laundering and tax evasion. Their massive international scheme took $194 million from more than 700 people. Cook is serving a 25-year sentence in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud in 2010.

Joseph Meyer, 47, has pleaded guilty to a single count of mail fraud in connection with a mortgage scheme involving the Cloud 9 Sky Flats condo development in Minnetonka. He faces up to 20 years in prison. Nine people have been charged in the fraud scheme. A Minneapolis man is the only person who has not entered a plea.

Minnetonka-based Cargill Inc., one of the world's largest commodities traders, claims in a new lawsuit that it was duped in a business fraud that involves the sale of fake renewable energy credits, the Star Tribune reports. The company says it arranged to buy 1.2 million biodiesel credits from a New York broker in 2010, and learned later the credits were invalid.

Prosecutors say Jonathan Michael Slaughter stole money intended for Northwood Children's Services in Duluth and dozens of other organizations in 13 states. The money was intended for his company, E-Rate Consulting Services, which gives money to schools in need.