ST. CLOUD, Minn. — The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) agents arrested the owner of the Press Bar on Friday with a federal grand jury indictment, according to a Stearns County Attorney's Office news release.
Prosecutors indicted Andrew Charles Welsh with three counts, including arson, use of fire to commit a federal felony and wire fraud, according to the federal indictment
The indictment is related to the fire that destroyed the Press Bar and Parlor in downtown St. Cloud on Feb. 17.
Authorities say Welsh burned down the bar to collect insurance money.
"Welsh devised and carried out a scheme to commit wire fraud by intentionally setting fire to his business and then submitting a fraudulent claim for about $1.4 million in insurance proceeds," according to the indictment.
The U.S. Attorney's Office will now be prosecuting the case.
