Ex-Dean At St. Kate’s Admits To Funneling University Funds To Lover

ST. PAUL, MN — The former dean of nursing at St. Catherine University has admitted in court to illegally steering $400,000 in school funds to her lover’s sham business.

In May 2024, Laura Jean Fero, 55, was charged with six felony counts of theft by swindle for allegedly diverting university funds.

On Monday, she pleaded guilty to one of the six counts as part of a plea deal that includes up to three years of probation, $25,000 in restitution, and a pre-sentence investigation.

The remaining charges will be dismissed, and Fero will avoid jail time unless she violates the terms of her probation.

Fero moved to Florida after she left her job at St. Catherine’s University in August 2023, court documents show.

About three months later, St. Catherine’s University reported a suspected embezzlement to police.

Fero — who started at St. Catherine's in June 2019 — misappropriated approximately $400,000 from the university, according to the report.

The university's internal investigation centered on the university contracts Fero entered into with Juan Ramon Bruce, 56, and his company, "JB & Associates LLC."

The contracts purportedly paid Bruce's company for various marketing research work. He made up to $65 per hour for the work, according to the criminal complaint.

During its investigation, St. Paul Police said it obtained emails between Fero and Bruce related to their romantic relationship.

The emails included the following conversations, according to the criminal complaint:

• In October 2020, Fero sent an email stating: "you are the first man who I have deeply loved and valued"
• In July 2022, Fero discussed past travel and memories with Bruce and said she loves him deeply, she can’t imagine life without him, and she wants to continue to love Bruce more every day and build a future together.
• In April 2023, Fero sent an email that discussed her relationship with Bruce and the troubles they had been experiencing.

After she was arrested, Fero claimed she met Bruce over a "cold call" but later admitted she had met Bruce on the dating website, "Elitesingles.com," according to the criminal complaint.

Fero said she was initially untruthful earlier in the interview because she was "embarrassed" at how she met Bruce, police said. Fero also admitted to "editing" documents that Bruce submitted to St. Catherine’s, the criminal complaint states.

Fero also said she did not disclose this relationship to the university because she thought its conflict-of-interest policy only referred to "married" people, according to police.