Saturday, July 26, 2025

Former Cloquet Police Officer Laci Marie Silgjord Found Guilty of Felony Attempted Theft by Swindle, Now Facing 20 Year Sentence

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Photo Credits: LinkedIn // Featured: Laci Marie Silgjord with family, as shown on her public LinkedIn profile. Notably, no official mugshot of the convicted felon appears to be publicly available online — a privilege rarely extended to the average citizen.


A former Cloquet police officer has been convicted of felony attempted theft by swindle after exploiting a vulnerable elderly woman she met while on duty.

Laci Marie Silgjord, once employed by the Cloquet Police Department, was found guilty of financially exploiting Joan Armey, a 78-year-old woman with dementia, in a case tried jointly by the Minnesota Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Criminal Division.

Silgjord first met the victim in May 2020 during a police response to a stolen purse complaint. Over the following months, she developed an inappropriate and unethical personal relationship with the victim, violating department policies that prohibit personal or financial relationships with individuals encountered through official police work.

By September 2020, Silgjord was appointed guardian for Armey—allowing her to oversee personal care, but not financial decisions. Despite this legal limitation, she falsely identified herself as a fiduciary at the victim’s bank and attempted to gain full access to the woman’s financial accounts, which were estimated to be worth over $150,000.

The investigation revealed that Silgjord recorded emotionally manipulative conversations with the victim, who was suffering from severe memory loss and disorientation. In one such recording, Silgjord told the victim she was her “new grandma,” prompting the victim to say she wanted to take care of Silgjord and her family.

After Armey passed away in October 2020, Silgjord failed to notify the woman’s estranged husband, who was her legal next of kin. Instead, she claimed control over the estate, refused to turn over keys to the victim’s home, and falsely asserted legal authority to manage the deceased’s affairs.

In the months following the death, Silgjord filed two separate claims seeking a combined $158,213.28 from the victim’s estate. She based these claims on unverified verbal exchanges with the victim and even included time she allegedly spent as a guardian while on police duty.

The Carlton County Attorney referred the case to the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, which pursued the prosecution. After a thorough investigation, the court found that Silgjord had knowingly misrepresented her legal authority and attempted to claim an inheritance she was never entitled to receive.

Silgjord’s employment with the Cloquet Police Department ended in June 2022. Her sentencing date is yet to be determined.

Key Takeaways:

  • Silgjord exploited a vulnerable adult she met during official police duties.

  • She falsely claimed fiduciary status to access financial accounts.

  • She attempted to claim over $150,000 from the victim’s estate.

  • The court denied her claims and convicted her of felony attempted theft by swindle.


View The Criminal Complaint 


References 

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