North Dakota State Cornerback Dismissed After Arrest in $270,000 Lake Minnetonka Theft Case

North Dakota State redshirt freshman William Frattalone, 20, has been dismissed from the Bison football team after his August arrest in Minnesota on allegations he stole luxury items worth roughly $270,000 from a boat at Lake Minnetonka on the Fourth of July.

Frattalone was arrested on a felony theft charge listed as "Theft-Take/Use/Transfer Movable Prop-No Consent," which carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison and/or a $100,000 fine, according to the criminal complaint obtained by Daily Mail. A search warrant executed at Frattalone's Minnesota home in July recovered a Louis Vuitton bag and some of the items reported missing, but a Rolex described in the complaint as a Cosmograph Daytona Platinum Ice Blue Index Dial valued at $227,999 remained missing.

The complaint says video found on Frattalone's phone shows the interior of the boat and a cubby where the reporting party, identified only as I.B. in the complaint, said he had left the Louis Vuitton duffel. I.B. told officers that he had brought the $2,400 bag onto a friend's boat before the group went to eat at Maynards, a restaurant on Lake Minnetonka with adjoining docks. When he returned, he said the bag was gone and that it had contained the Rolex, roughly $25,000 worth of clothing, between $5,000 and $10,000 in cash, a passport, flash drives, car keys and headphones.

The complaint also says Frattalone attempted to re-enter Maynards with the duffel but was stopped by an employee because of a no-bag policy. The employee escorted him through the restaurant at his request and Frattalone then left the premises, the complaint states. Another guest, identified as S.P. in court filings, told officers Frattalone later suggested his wealthy parents could compensate for the loss, saying they "would write a check for whatever was inside the bag," according to the complaint. The guest told officers the victim wanted the bag and its contents returned; the complaint states Frattalone did not return them.

The alleged victim obtained Frattalone's number through a mutual friend and sent a text that the Star Tribune published a screen grab of: "Bro we have you on video taking the bag. We can do this one of two ways. You can bring the bag back with everything that was in it with no hard feelings or I can continue with the police report and send them your info and go that route." The message was followed by a reply reading, "Hey man, I did not take anyone's bag other than my own," the law enforcement documents say.

NDSU coach Tim Polasek told KVRR that Frattalone was dismissed from the program and "will not be considered to re-join the team in any fashion." Frattalone did not play in NDSU's January game that secured the program's most recent FCS national title but was photographed celebrating the victory on social media.

Frattalone was scheduled to appear in court this week following his August arrest, according to media reports. Daily Mail reported that law enforcement found some of the victim's belongings during the July search of Frattalone's residence but that the high-value Rolex was still unaccounted for at the time the complaint was filed.

The case follows other off-field legal issues that have touched the NDSU program in recent seasons. Linebacker Jaiden Pickett, who was previously on the team, was sentenced to three years in prison after authorities said he fired a bullet into a house in 2024; an incident report said Frattalone was at the scene and involved in a confrontation leading up to that shooting, though Frattalone was not charged in that matter.

Social media activity cited in reports shows Frattalone in high-profile settings, including a visit to the White House and appearances with public figures, and celebrating with teammates after the FCS title game. Frattalone's attorney did not respond to a request for comment, according to the Daily Mail piece.

Authorities continue to investigate the July Fourth incident. The criminal complaint, witness statements and the presence of video on the defendant's phone are cited in charging documents. The missing Rolex remains a central element of the ongoing criminal case, and local prosecutors will pursue the felony theft charge as the matter moves through the Minnesota court system.