Mark Sutton and Joseph Finney each received prison sentences for enticing investors to buy shares in an investment dubbed "Envestclub," which they said offered high returns. But they didn't disclose that they were taking portions of investors' funds as commission.

As shareholders prepare to vote on the proposed acquisition of Lawson Software, recent market activity indicates that investors have attempted to profit from the deal in a variety of ways-sometimes successfully, sometimes not.

The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits said that the bulk of Minnesota nonprofits that recently lost federal tax-exempt status are defunct; those that are active but failed to meet new reporting requirements can reapply to have their statuses reinstated.

Robert Atkinson has been tight-lipped about details surrounding a multi-channel network that he says is in the works, but ESPN's founding chairman has joined the network's executive team.

The Bloomington-based parts and accessories distributor received one report of a carrier rack bracket breaking while a rider was on a bike-which resulted in minor cuts.

The state is reportedly required to issue severance payments and cash for unused time off to the 36,000 employees that could be laid off under a government shutdown this summer-which will cost the state millions.

Kal Patel recently left his executive posts at Best Buy to become a partner at VantagePoint Capital Partners-where he will help expand global investments by the venture capital firm and lead initiatives involving "strategic partners," including Best Buy.

Cargill is invested in numerous U.S. businesses that export directly to South Korea, and the trade agreement awaiting ratification "is critical from both an economic and agricultural industry standpoint," according to Cargill Chairman and CEO Greg Page.

U.S. Marshals seized probiotic products from UAS Laboratories last week at the request of the FDA, which is concerned that the company is marketing its products as drugs.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury is withholding financial incentives for Wells Fargo Bank, Bank of America, and J.P Morgan Chase Bank until they improve their efforts in a federal initiative called the Making Home Affordable Program.

The utility says it's taking less effort to get customers to enroll in its programs that help them save money by agreeing to use less energy during hot weather.

Northern Oil & Gas reportedly tried to convince shareholders at its annual meeting that it has a business plan to get the company back on track.

A proposal to delay regulations that would put a new cap on debit-card swipe fees that large banks charge merchants fell six votes short in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday; big banks are disappointed, but TCF says that it will keep fighting through a lawsuit that it filed in October.

Bill de Blasio, who sits on the board of a major Target shareholder-the New York City Employees Retirement System-wants the company to change its policy on political donations; Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel told shareholders that concerns have been adequately addressed.

Delta CEO Richard Anderson wrote a letter to employees indicating that despite moving Minnesota jobs to Atlanta, the airline is still committed to its hub at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.