The controversial wife of a Minnesota billionaire who acquired dozens of properties in a sleepy beach town has threatened to sue relatives and neighbors who speak about her in the media.
Kathy Cargill, 66, became the target of suspicion when she began buying homes in Park Point, a sandbar between Lake Superior and Duluth Harbor, in December 2022.
Anger mounted when she disparaged the community and its mayor in a Wall Street Journal article, calling them “mean-minded” and claiming the mayor had “peed his Cheerios” by asking her to disclose his vision of properties.
When Minneapolis Star-Tribune reporters attempted to delve into Cargill’s private life, his close sources remained tight-lipped.
Dozens of relatives, neighbors, former colleagues and associates refused to speak. Some told the publication they feared being sued, while others said they signed nondisclosure agreements.
When a Star-Tribune reporter reached her for comment, Cargill “screamed at the reporter before hanging up.”
Kathy Cargill, 66, allegedly threatened to sue her former associates who spoke about her to the media.
The wife of billionaire heir James R. Cargill II began acquiring properties in Park Point, Minn., last year and has refused to disclose her plans.
Amid a housing shortage in the city of Duluth, the move was not well received. Nine of the houses have already been demolished, while three more are expected to be demolished.
The Wisconsin native is married to James R. Cargill II, one of 12 heirs to agricultural giant Cargill. At the time of writing, Forbes estimated his net worth to be around $4.6 billion.
Before marrying into a fabulously wealthy family in 2012, Cargill worked as a real estate agent and trail manager for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
While the couple leads a private life, Cargill was featured in a 2019 video showing off her expensive McLaren supercar collection.
About four years later, she made waves when a company called North Shore LS, LLC. began purchasing properties in his name for far more than their assessed value. Several of the homes, described by Cargill as “pieces of shit,” were demolished.
Amid a housing shortage in the city of Duluth, the move was not well received. Mayor Roger Reinert wrote to the billionaire asking her to tell him about her plans for the 13 houses and 22 plots of land she had acquired.
Nine of the houses were demolished and three were allowed to be demolished.
“Any loss of residential housing serves no purpose,” Reinert wrote in her appeal, requesting that she or her representatives meet with city staff and members of the Park Point Community Club.
Rather than shed light on it, Cargill launched scathing criticism of the mayor and the community at large in a Wall Street Journal article last month.
Among the purchases was land at 1314 Minnesota Avenue. The house on this lot was purchased in February 2023 and then demolished
1239 Minnesota Avenue was purchased for $500,000, although it was appraised at only $239,500. Up the street, 1221 Minnesota Avenue was purchased for $300,000.
Cargill sparked fury when it called the community “small-minded” and claimed Mayor Roger Reinert had “peed his Cheerios” by questioning its motives.
In retaliation for his comments, residents donated hundreds of boxes of cereal to a food drive in the city. Reinert (far left, back) was photographed with a box of Cheerios at the drop-off point
Other residents were more forthcoming, including those who displayed a banner reading “It’s OK to be important but it’s more important to be kind” along Minnesota Avenue.
The 66-year-old said her original plans were to improve the neighborhood with pickleball courts and a cafe, but she changed her mind.
“The good projects I have there to beautify, modernize and renovate Park Point or develop this sports field, forget it,” she said. “There is another community with more welcoming people than this narrow-minded community.”
As for the mayor, Cargill said he “kind of peed his Cheerios” by questioning his motives, “and I’m certainly not going to do anything to benefit this community.”
In the days that followed, residents donated hundreds of boxes of breakfast cereal to a city food drive. Reinert himself was photographed posing with a box at the drop-off point.
The campaign, dubbed the “Cheerio Challenge,” also raised about $50,000 and contributions from far-flung states like Florida and California.
Other community members have been more outspoken about their disgust with Cargill and its remarks.
A banner hung along a fence in the 2900 block of Minnesota Avenue, where Cargill owns several properties, that read: “It’s good to be important, but it’s more important to be kind.” The protest piece was quickly removed.
Reinert declined to respond directly to Cargill. But in a statement he said: “We must pay attention to housing. We discuss every day how we can increase inventory, and we will remain vigilant on this issue.
Cargill refused to communicate with the city, according to officials, who were advised to avoid further stoking its anger.
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