“James Sullivan, 62, of Saint Paul, MN, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on March 28, 2024 after [a] 9 month battle with pancreatic cancer” — with those words, the world was alerted to the passing of Synergy Partners founder James Sullivan.
However, a federal grand jury says Sullivan never truly existed. In fact, an indictment from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota says “James Sullivan” was the invention of Jonathan Weinhagen, the ex-CEO of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce who is charged with embezzlement.
A high-profile figure, Weinhagen reportedly created a sham consulting company named Synergy Partners that was owned by his alias, “James Sullivan.” Weinhagen’s indictment says he used his position at the Chamber to enter into bogus contracts with his fictional company. He allegedly used the money from those contracts on “personal expenses.”
According to the charges, the Chamber eventually sought information about payments to Synergy Partners but Weinhagen tried to cover his tracks with “fake emails making it appear that Synergy Partners no longer existed, and that ‘James Sullivan’ had died.”
Court documents say Weinhagen “even published a fake obituary for ‘James Sullivan’ on legacy.com, stating that Sullivan had died of pancreatic cancer.”
Now, Alpha News has obtained the obituary that was reportedly authored by Weinhagen.
James Sullivan: A family man
According to his obituary, James Sullivan was “a family man who balanced a successful consulting career. Jim was charismatic, hardworking, and always put others first.”
“He is survived by his wife Susan, son Bill Sullivan, daughter-in-law Julie Sullivan, grandson Braden, and granddaughter Simone,” says the obituary. “Jim was preceded in death by his parents Albert and Tracy Sullivan, and his brother Tim Sullivan.”
“Jim attended the University of Minnesota and had a career in political consulting, including serving as the North Dakota Field Organizer for the Dukakis for President campaign in 1988 where he cut his teeth and never looked back,” noted the obituary.
Additionally, the remembrance said “A private internment was held earlier this month with close friends and family. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to a charity of your choice in James Sullivan’s memory.”
That obituary, which was published on legacy.com, is now available only in archived form. However, several mourners left comments and condolences before it was taken down.
“James: I’ll never forget when you started Synergy Partners, a very real company. You will be missed,” said one mourner.
“James, I will forever think of you trying in vain to win North Dakota for Dukakis. Rest easy, my friend, you fought the good fight,” wrote another.
“James, I can’t believe you’re gone. Sometimes it feels like you were never even here,” said another.
Alpha News contacted Weinhagen for this story but did not hear back.
Alleged alias appears to have given to Weinhagen’s political campaign
Weinhagen was the CEO of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce from October of 2016 to June of 2024. He resigned last year following a “thorough investigation into the [Chamber’s] financial governance and controls.”
In his former role, Weinhagen advocated for the interests of Minneapolis-area businesses and often rubbed shoulders with political figures from across the state. The ex-CEO was also a member of the Mounds View School Board.
Alpha News previously reported that a couple named Jim and Mary Sullivan gave $1,200 to Weinhagen’s 2023 school board campaign. A PO Box was listed as the couple’s address while their employer was described as “Synergy Partners/Not Employed.”
Weinhagen won his campaign for Mounds View School Board in 2023, but resigned his seat in the wake of the federal charges. The Mounds View School Board has scrubbed the former CEO from its website.
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
