ST. CLOUD, MN– A once-prominent roofing contractor in Central Minnesota is now facing serious legal trouble after allegedly defrauding customers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Caleb Oberg, the former majority owner of Oberg Roofing and Remodeling based in St. Cloud, has been charged with five felony counts of theft by swindle over $35,000.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Stearns County, Oberg collected nearly $240,000 from at least 23 customers between July 2023 and September 2024. Customers paid up front for roofing and remodeling work that, according to investigators, was never started.
Signs of Trouble
As financial issues mounted, suppliers began cutting off the company, refusing to deliver materials due to unpaid bills. This left customers confused and angry when they received lien notices, legal claims placed against their homes, despite having already paid Oberg Roofing in full.
In response, company staff were instructed to “make something up” when questioned about the status of projects or the unexpected lien notifications. In a further effort to avoid confrontation, the business locked its office doors during the day to keep walk-in customers from demanding answers.
By October 2024, the company quietly shut down operations. A month later, the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office began receiving a flood of complaints from customers who were left without roofs, or refunds.
Financial Mismanagement and Lavish Spending
Oberg’s former business partner, who held a 40% stake in the company and was responsible for sales, told investigators that Oberg handled all operational decisions. He claimed he repeatedly warned Oberg to stop accepting new jobs due to their inability to complete existing ones.
The company’s bookkeeper revealed that Oberg ignored state laws requiring customer deposits to be held in a separate account, instead using a single account for all business operations. She also noted that Oberg overspent on consultants and refused to stop accepting new contracts even when the company was clearly struggling.
Records show Oberg took out a $750,000 loan, allegedly to buy supplies and finish jobs, but still used customer payments to fund operations, rather than setting them aside as required.
Adding insult to injury, in January 2024, Oberg reportedly sold a company truck to help fund the down payment on a $160,000 Corvette.
On the Run
After media outlets reported on the business’s sudden closure and civil lawsuits began to mount, Oberg fled the state. Authorities say he was tracked down in Missouri, using a burner phone and registering his vehicle under his wife’s name.
On July 9, 2025, a warrant was issued for his arrest. The following day, Oberg was arrested in Christian County, Missouri, and is currently being held on $50,000 bond while awaiting extradition to Minnesota.
