Extreme heat warning in effect through Sunday

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

Unsealed court documents indicate Denny Hecker's former father-in-law intended to help law enforcement authorities investigating Hecker, but that was before William Prohofsky fatally shot himself in an apparent suicide last week. 

Investigators have been trying to track Hecker's assets. The trustee in his bankruptcy case sued Hecker accusing him of hiding assets that eventually could be used to repay the creditors which Hecker owes nearly $790 million.  

Earlier this week, prosecutors unveiled 10 new criminal counts of bankruptcy fraud against Hecker connected to the allegedly hidden property.


According to documents unsealed today,   investigators last week asked Hecker's former father in law William Prohofsky  if he had been hiding Hecker assets in  safety deposit boxes. Prohofsky denied doing that.


The next day, Medina police found Prohofsky in a Volvo sedan, with a gunshot wound.  The  police found a note on Prohofsky that referred to his involvement in  concealing Hecker assets.
 

The note referred to a safe deposit box Prohofsky had been questioned about. The note also indicated Prohofsky planned to help investigators by providing information. A key to the safe deposit box was found in the car.


Investigators obtained  a search warrant to inspect the box. They found it contained  an envelope with $10,000 in cash. It was labeled as money for 2009 taxes. The box also contained some legal, lease and other documents.


In Prohofsky's car, investigators also found a laptop computer, cell phone,  and a briefcase containing documents. 

Court filings don't provide additional details about the documents.  They also didn't contain  any information about the gun Prohofsky used to shoot himself.  

Hecker was one of Minnesota's biggest auto dealers before his empire collapsed.  In addition to the bankruptcy fraud charges, Hecker  has been indicted by the Feds for allegedly trying to defraud lenders. 

His lawyers are quitting his case because Hecker lacks money to pay them.

Gallery

Timeline: The Denny Hecker saga

Police: Hecker ex-father-in-law commits suicide

Auto dealer Denny Hecker faces federal fraud charges

Crime, Law and Justice

Martin Moylan

Author

Unsealed court documents indicate Denny Hecker's former father-in-law intended to help law enforcement authorities investigating Hecker, but that was before William Prohofsky fatally shot himself in an apparent suicide last week.

Hecker's former father-in-law intended to help investigation

Go Deeper.

Like this?