Adam Fetcher, 42, a former deputy press secretary in the Obama administration, was fired from his position as Chief Communications Officer for the City of Minneapolis on July 1 in connection with alleged thefts of cash and credit cards.
Fetcher had served in the role for approximately one year after being appointed by Mayor Jacob Frey in July 2025 as the city’s first cabinet-level communications director. In this position, Fetcher earned an annual salary of $186,495.
Prior to joining the city government, he held senior communications and public relations roles at companies including Patagonia, Lyft, New Belgium Brewing, and Rivian. He also co-founded a consulting agency in Minneapolis in 2016.
During the Obama administration, Fetcher served as deputy national press secretary for the 2012 reelection campaign and held communications positions, including with the U.S. Department of the Interior.
The termination followed an internal investigation into allegations that Fetcher stole cash as well as debit and credit cards from the desks and purses of three city employees. The reported incidents occurred between mid-May and early June 2026, shortly after Fetcher returned to work in mid-April from a nine-week personal leave approved for treatment of a substance abuse disorder.
According to a report from the Minneapolis Star Tribune, which cited numerous sources familiar with the matter, surveillance video from a south Minneapolis smoke shop captured Fetcher using one of the allegedly stolen cards to make a $481 purchase of kratom on June 18, 2026. The shop is located less than one mile from Fetcher’s home.
Employees at the store, where Fetcher was described as a frequent customer purchasing kratom, assisted police by confirming his identity and providing his vehicle’s license plate number after a customer reported an unauthorized transaction and staff confronted him during a subsequent visit.
The alleged thefts resulted in hundreds of dollars in fraudulent charges primarily at tobacco stores and smoke shops. Minneapolis police investigated the reports of missing cash and cards and submitted a case file to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office on July 8, for review of potential criminal charges.
Under Minnesota law, financial transaction card fraud can qualify as a felony depending on the amounts involved. A spokesman for County Attorney Mary Moriarty confirmed that the case remained under review, though no criminal charges have been filed as of this report.
Kratom is a herbal supplement derived from the leaves of the Mitragyna speciosa tree, native to Southeast Asia. Its leaves contain alkaloids that interact with opioid receptors in the brain. The substance is sometimes used for pain relief, mood enhancement, or to manage symptoms associated with opioid withdrawal.
Kratom is not a federally controlled substance in the United States and remains legally available over the counter at certain retail outlets. Regular or prolonged use can lead to physical dependence and addiction, with associated withdrawal symptoms that may include anxiety, insomnia, muscle aches, and irritability.
