Tom Petters, the alleged ringleader of a multi-billion-dollar fraud scheme, has made $16,000 in political donations so far this election cycle. Among the recipients: Sens. Amy Klobuchar ($5,000) and Norm Coleman ($1,600), Rep. James Oberstar ($3,300) and 6th Congressional District challenger Elwyn Tinklenberg ($500).

Petters was arrested at his Wayzata home last week and is accused of bilking investors out of at least $3.5 billion in phony business deals. He faces charges of mail fraud, money laundering, wire fraud and obstruction of justice. Earlier today a federal judge ruled that Petters is too much of a flight risk to be released from custody while awaiting trial.

At least two of the politicians who received contributions from the disgraced businessman — Klobuchar and Tinklenberg — have given the money to charity. The $5,000 contribution to Klobuchar was directed toward her Follow the North Star Fund political action committee. “On the 30th of September the Senator had a check cut from her PAC to the American Red Cross,” says Tom Perron, who served as Klobuchar’s finance director during her 2006 campaign. Similarly, Tinklenberg’s campaign made a $500 donation to a fund set up to help victims of a recent apartment fire in Elk River, according to campaign spokesman John Wodele.

The Oberstar and Coleman campaigns did not respond immediately to calls seeking information about the contributions from Petters. In 2006, Petters Group Worldwide acquired Sun Country Airlines. Oberstar is chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which oversees the airline industry. After news of the fraud investigation broke, Sun Country filed for bankruptcy protection.

Here’s a complete list of contributions made by Petters this election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics: