WILLMAR -- The Salvation Army suspended Capt. Mike Line earlier this month amid allegations of financial misdeeds.
Line is alleged to, without permission, have spent money belonging a vulnerable adult for whom Line was the legal guardian.
"As is standard protocol, upon hearing of the allegations, The Salvation Army suspended Captain R. Michael Line in January," said Maj. Daniel Sjogren, Salvation Army Divisional Commander, in a news release. "The Salvation Army immediately conducted an internal financial and procedural review of the Willmar Salvation Army Corps and Community Center. It would be inappropriate to speculate on the outcome of this case or discuss the particulars outside of the courtroom."
Raymond Michael "Mike" Line, 42, of Willmar is facing one felony count of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult. It is alleged that Line, who acted as legal guardian for a blind, 58-year-old Willmar man, spent more than $3,000 from the man's account without the man's permission.
Annette Bauer, spokeswoman for The Salvation Army Northern Division Headquarters, told the Tribune on Thursday that Line was officially suspended Jan. 4.
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She said her office began talking with Line about the matter on Dec. 14, the day before Line was arraigned on the charge in Kandiyohi County District Court.
She said that in the internal investigation of the Willmar Salvation Army, nothing out of the ordinary was found in either the internal financial or procedural reviews.
According to the complaint, the alleged victim in the criminal case was a member of The Salvation Army Church, which Line oversaw. The man befriended Line, and Line soon became his legal guardian.
The man is on Medicaid and receives food stamps, both of which require that his financial assets are below a certain financial ceiling.
The complaint states that the man had received a $10,000 insurance settlement, but in order to qualify for the programs, he had to spend that $10,000 down to $3,000. In 2004, Line purchased a trombone for $1,775 and a digital projector valued at $1,599. However, the man claimed that Line purchased the two items without his permission, according to the complaint.
Line claimed that the man had given the trombone to him as a gift. He said the man had given the projector to The Salvation Army as a gift, the complaint says.
However, in three different interviews with Kandiyohi County social workers and Willmar police, Line's story changed several times, according to the complaint. He later said that he'd purchased the trombone with his own money. However, Line took $5,000 out of the man's account on a day he made a $1,341.46 payment on the trombone.
The complaint says Line admitted to a social worker that, as the man's legal guardian, buying the digital projector probably wasn't the best use of the man's funds.
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It was also found that Line had transferred $150 from the man's account into the account of one of Line's family members. Line said that the transfer was a mistake caused by pushing the wrong button, the complaint says.
The Tribune was unable to make contact Thursday afternoon with Tim Webb, Line's attorney.
