Former Obama Press Secretary Accused of Stealing from Colleagues to Fund Kratom Habit

A former Obama spokesman has just been fired from his new gig as Chief Communications Officer in Minneapolis after some serious allegations that he stole from co-workers.

41-year-old Adam Fetcher is being accused of stealing credit cards and cash from colleagues to fund a kratom habit.

Take a look at the news:

Ex-Obama press secretary fired after allegedly swiping credit cards from colleagues to fund kratom habit https://t.co/r8qvQ9PLvw pic.twitter.com/RRDTmqGAZF

— New York Post (@nypost) July 10, 2026

Minneapolis’ chief communications officer, Adam Fetcher, is out of his job and now faces possible legal trouble. https://t.co/uDX2DEndoU

— FOX 9 (@FOX9) July 10, 2026

If you don’t know, kratom is an herbal drug used to treat opioid withdrawal symptoms.

Fetcher had just returned from a weeks-long rehab program for an addiction when the thefts started.

In addition to losing his job, Fetcher could face severe legal repercussions.

The New York Post reported further:

Adam Fetcher, 42, was canned from his role as Chief Communications Officer (CCO) for the City of Minneapolis after just a year on the job amid a police investigation into internal workplace theft and fraud, as well as claims of substance abuse, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported.

Fetcher, who made nearly $200,000 a year, is accused of stealing cash and credit cards out of the desks and purses of three fellow city hall employees, racking up hundreds of dollars in fraudulent charges at tobacco stores, reported the Star Tribune, citing sources familiar with the investigation.

Security surveillance footage reportedly shows Fetcher using one of the stolen cards to buy $481 of kratom — a herbal supplement often used to manage opioid withdrawal symptoms — at a south Minneapolis smoke shop, reported the outlet.

Under state law, card fraud of that amount would qualify as a felony-level offense if prosecutors decide to charge Fetcher.

Fetcher was busted after staff at a smoke shop became suspicious and began working with authorities.

Fox News shared more details:

Fetcher was captured on surveillance cameras at a Minneapolis smoke shop purchasing kratom, which is used to treat opioid withdrawal symptoms but carries its own risk of addiction.

He allegedly stole a charge card from a city employee’s purse and made a $481 purchase at the Minneapolis Tobacco & Vapor shop, less than a mile from his home, the newspaper reported. Store manager Hamza Zamara said staff helped investigators identify Fetcher as the man who allegedly used fraudulent cards to make the purchase.

Authorities zeroed in on the shop after a woman called the store claiming that someone had made a purchase using her card without permission. When Fetcher visited the shop again, employees took pictures of him and followed him outside, the news report states. They later gave investigators Fetcher’s vehicle’s license plate number.

“We told him, ‘Hey, we know what you’re doing,’” Zamara said.

Fetcher, who earned $186,000 annually, was fired on July 1.

“Under Adam’s leadership, the Communications team has reorganized, is fully staffed, and is well positioned to manage the City’s Communications needs,” City Operations Officer Margaret Anderson Kelliher wrote in an email to staff announcing the termination.

The email did not explain the circumstances of Fetcher’s departure. However, Kelliher wrote in a separate memo that several city employees had reported missing cash, debit, or credit cards, as well as unauthorized charges, noting the incidents happened between mid-May and June.

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This guy messed up big-time.

In Minneapolis, he would have made far more money to fuel his kratom habit and earned the protection of his state’s governor by opening a fraudulent “Learing Center”…

Katie Miller pointed out:

Adam Fetcher was Chief of Communications for the City of Minneapolis.

He defended Somali fraud as he committed theft. https://t.co/QMjtpIcGCY

— Katie Miller (@KatieMiller) July 11, 2026