Caleb Oberg, the former majority owner of St. Cloud-based Oberg Roofing and Remodeling, has been charged with five felony fraud counts after allegedly scamming customers out of nearly $240,000.
Between July 2023 and September 2024, Oberg reportedly accepted payments from 23 customers for roofing work that was never performed. Meanwhile, suppliers stopped providing materials, and customers began receiving lien notices—legal claims against their properties for unpaid supplier bills related to their projects.
The company became increasingly inaccessible, often locking its doors during the day to avoid customer confrontations. When customers called, staff were allegedly instructed to fabricate excuses for delays and lien notices.
Oberg Roofing permanently closed in October 2024. Following the closure, the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office received multiple complaints from customers left unpaid and without completed work.
Investigators interviewed former employees and a business partner, who owned 40% of the company and handled sales. The partner said Oberg controlled all operational decisions and was advised to stop taking new jobs during summer 2024 due to mounting unfinished work. He also believed Oberg overpaid for a new company location, contributing to financial troubles.
According to the company bookkeeper, Oberg spent heavily on consultants during a slow 2023 and refused to comply with Minnesota law requiring customer deposits be held in a separate account. Instead, all funds were managed from a single account, with no halt on new sales.
Court documents reveal that Oberg took out a $750,000 loan in an attempt to fund supplies but used customer deposits to cover operational costs. In January 2024, he sold a company truck to fund a $160,000 Corvette purchase.
After media reports and civil lawsuits surfaced, 44-year-old Oberg fled Minnesota, resurfacing in Missouri with a burner phone and transferring his car to his wife’s name.
On July 9, a warrant was issued for Oberg on five felony fraud charges involving over $35,000. He was arrested the following day in Christian County, Missouri, held on a $50,000 bond, and awaits extradition to Minnesota to face charges.
