Fraudster Allegedly Embezzles $220,000 from Suicide Prevention Nonprofit
A man, Ryan Gary Obermoller, is accused of stealing nearly $220,000 from Dylan’s Hope Foundation, a Minnesota nonprofit focused on suicide prevention. He had been involved with the organization, founded by his in-laws, since its inception, shortly after his brother-in-law’s tragic death by suicide.
Obermoller, 46, served as both executive director and treasurer of the foundation, which was established in memory of Dylan Ursby, who took his own life in February 2013 when he was just 17 years old.
Concerns arose in 2024 when an administrator reported discrepancies in the revenue from an annual charity golf tournament. A subsequent criminal complaint revealed that the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation, prompted by reports that Obermoller had claimed the tournament raised $51,500, despite the organization reporting only $56,700 in total revenue for the year.
Upon examining the foundation’s financial accounts, investigators found that Obermoller had written himself a $22,000 check. When questioned, he admitted to stealing funds totaling over $40,000, leading to an estimated total embezzlement of at least $219,173, although he has only returned $30,000 so far.
Obermoller, who has been married to Jenny, Dylan’s sister, for over a decade, had been trusted with the nonprofit’s finances due to his accounting background. Following the allegations, Jenny took over the management of the organization. ProPublica reported that between 2013 and 2024, the nonprofit raised approximately $258,100 but faced expenses of around $240,030, with a period of unreported revenue from 2015 to 2018.
Britt Ursby, Obermoller’s father-in-law, expressed deep frustration over the situation. He stated that the foundation’s mission—to foster communication between youth and adults to prevent similar tragedies—has been compromised due to Obermoller’s actions. “He took tragedy and tried to make it his game,” Ursby remarked, questioning how someone with an accounting career could betray such trust.
The family remains uncertain about how the funds were misused. Jenny shared that her husband spoke about wanting to provide them with a certain life, but she feels conflicted about his actions. Obermoller has been charged with two felony counts of theft and is set to appear in court again on April 8th.
