Minneapolis businessman Gregory Dolphin charged with child pornography
MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - Minneapolis businessman Gregory Matthew Dolphin has been charged with possession of child pornography after police received multiple "cybertips" from social media companies that led to his email and IP addresses. Dolphin, 62, is the retired CEO of Dolphin Fast Food, Inc.
According to the arrest report, the investigation dates back to May 2016. According to the criminal complaint, Minneapolis police obtained search warrants on Dolphin’s media devices at his home and his office after receiving cyber tips from social media companies. Social media companies are required to contact law enforcement if they discover their programs are being used to acquire or distribute child pornography.
Police executed the search warrants Thursday and arrested Dolphin outside of his Minneapolis home near Lake Calhoun. At the time of his arrest, Dolphin was pulled out of his car and had a packed suitcase. Officers searched him and took the cell phone and two flash drives he was carrying, and officers also seized his computer.
At this time these charges were filed, only a thumb drive has been examined by investigators. A video on the drive shows a young girl being sexually abused, and there were several video and image titles on the same drive with titles referencing pedophilia and other search terms related to child pornography.
The examination of the other media devices and the computer is ongoing, but according to the charges, Dolphin admitted he was aware there was child pornography on his computer.
Gregory Dolphin was charged Friday afternoon in Hennepin County with one count of possession of child pornography and is expected to make his first court appearance Monday. Prosecutors will ask bail to be set at $100,000.
The Dolphin family said, in a statement, that Gregory Dolphin was diagnosed last June with a brain disease "that can result in changes in personality, impaired judgment and impulsive behaviors."
Statement from Dolphin Group Companies:
"Greg Dolphin, retired CEO of Dolphin Fast Food, Inc. was charged by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office on March 31st on suspicion of possessing child pornography on his computer.
"All restaurants previously owned by Dolphin Fast Food were sold in 2016 and, as a result, Dolphin Fast Food was dissolved at year-end. While Greg Dolphin remains a minority shareholder in some of the other Dolphin operating companies, he has been semi-retired since May of last year and does not have a management role in any Dolphin company. The allegations involving Greg are personal in nature, do not involve the Dolphin companies and will not impact the operations or financial strength of the various Dolphin companies.
"Greg was diagnosed by the Mayo Clinic in June of last year with frontotemporal degeneration, a progressive brain disease that can result in changes in personality, impaired judgment and impulsive behaviors. Since that diagnosis, the Dolphin family has taken steps to assist Greg in his care. Obviously, we are shocked and saddened by these allegations involving his personal behavior. As a company, we are conducting our own investigation and cooperating with the authorities. As his family, we will provide Greg with our loving support and whatever additional assistance he may need. We would ask that people respect the family’s need for healing at this time."
EDITOR'S NOTE: Previous versions of this story identified Gregory Dolphin as the owner of Dolphin Staffing, as reported by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office. The Dolphin family says they do not operate any of their companies under the name Dolphin Staffing.