Todd County auditor/treasurer charged with forgery and misconduct
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According to court documents, Denise Gaida, Todd County Auditor/Treasurer from Browerville, has been charged with two felony counts and one gross misdemeanor related to a quit claim deed for property that belonged to her late brother.
The charges include felony aggravated forgery, felony forgery for altering a document, and gross misdemeanor misconduct of a public officer. These events allegedly took place between October 23-29, 2024.
Investigators claim that Gaida filed a quit claim deed on October 29, 2024, which transferred two pieces of land from her brother, who passed away on September 16, 2024, to herself and their mother as joint owners. The deed was dated July 30, 2024, before her brother’s death, and Gaida notarized the document despite being one of the new property owners.
The Todd County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation in February 2025 after concerns were raised about the authenticity of her brother’s signature on the deed. They compared it to his signatures on his driver’s license and other documents, eventually sending the materials to a handwriting expert.
The handwriting expert concluded that it was likely the signature on the quit claim deed was not written by her brother. During the investigation, they also searched Gaida’s county-issued laptop, where they found modified quit claim deed forms and internet searches for deed templates, suggesting the document may have been created or altered before being filed.
In an interview with investigators, Gaida said her brother had asked her to bring her notary stamp to their mother’s house to complete some paperwork in case something happened to him. She claimed he signed the quit claim deed in front of her, and she notarized it. After his death, she said her mother found the deed and gave it to her to file. However, investigators found that bank records and surveillance video did not support parts of her story. They also noted that the deed form used was not available when her brother last accessed his safety deposit box in 2006.
Gaida reportedly acknowledged that she knew it was wrong to notarize a document that benefited her, and she mentioned that she had been fined $5,000 for this violation, though she would only have to pay $2,500.
Since Gaida is the Todd County Auditor/Treasurer, she is also an ex officio notary, which means her notary stamp can only be used for official duties.
She faces serious penalties if convicted: up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine for aggravated forgery, up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine for forgery, and a maximum of 364 days in jail and a $3,000 fine for misconduct as a public officer.
According to Todd County Attorney John Lindemann, these charges do not automatically remove Gaida from her position. She can continue to serve and run for re-election unless she decides to resign or withdraw from the election. The Todd County Board of Commissioners can restrict her from certain duties but cannot remove her entirely. Even if she wins re-election, the criminal case would not stop her from taking office, although a felony conviction related to fraud or deceit would prevent her from serving as a notary. Notaries can only be removed by the governor, a district court, or the commissioner of commerce. Lindemann also stated that investigators do not believe any financial crimes took place and noted that a recent independent audit found Todd County’s financial operations to be accurate and secure.
Gaida’s first court appearance is scheduled for September 22 in Todd County District Court. Prosecuting on behalf of Todd County will be Keelan P Ryan, Senior Assistant Ramsey County Attorney.
