Student arrested in scandal
Eight defendants could face up to 15 years on charges of racketeering
Adrian Northrup
Issue date: 2/20/06 Section: Campus News
A UW-Eau Claire student was one of eight individuals charged Tuesday with using "deceptive solicitation to raise money on behalf of questionable charitable entities," according to a press release.
Junior Steven J. Ranta was charged under the Wisconsin racketeering statute.
Both Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager and Eau Claire County District Attorney Richard White announced the charges had been filed.
Eau Claire County District Attorney Richard White filed charges after an investigation by various local, state and federal agencies.
Racketeering is a crime carried out systematically by formal criminal organization or business.
According to the state attorney general's office, the complaint alleges that the defendants operated through multiple fund-raising firms and used misleading telephone solicitations to collect contributions on behalf of claimed charities.
The charities include American Deputy Sheriffs Association, the Coalition of Police and Sheriffs, the American Veterans Relief Foundation, the Association of Disabled Firefighters Fund, the Veterans Assistance Council, Inc. and the Coalition of Disabled Firefighters Inc.
Attorney general spokesman Kelly Kennedy said the operations were sophisticated.
"They collected approximately $10 million from out-of-state donations," he said.
Kennedy said that none of the solicitations were collected in Wisconsin.
The defendants would face up to 15 years in prison for each count and fines up to twice the amount of the donations that were obtained if convicted, according to the release.
Four Eau Claire businesses were allegedly involved in the racketeering charges. These include Public Awareness, Inc., Civic Action, Inc., Community Outreach, Inc. and Community Support, Inc. Two other businesses in Wisconsin were also allegedly involved.
Freshman Rachel Gross said she and her family often give to charities through church and through her mother's work. She said she usually doesn't question or doubt charities.
"I would hope, considering it's a charity, that (the money) was going to the charity and people weren't abusing it," she said.
Only a small amount of the donations were going to the charities, Kennedy said.
He said most of it was kept for fund-raisers and for the salaries of the employees.
Director of Career Services Jeanne Skoug said Ranta did not receive the job through Career Services.
White, Ranta and Ranta's defense attorney Jay Heit did not return phone messages from The Spectator.
Junior Steven J. Ranta was charged under the Wisconsin racketeering statute.
Both Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager and Eau Claire County District Attorney Richard White announced the charges had been filed.
Eau Claire County District Attorney Richard White filed charges after an investigation by various local, state and federal agencies.
Racketeering is a crime carried out systematically by formal criminal organization or business.
According to the state attorney general's office, the complaint alleges that the defendants operated through multiple fund-raising firms and used misleading telephone solicitations to collect contributions on behalf of claimed charities.
The charities include American Deputy Sheriffs Association, the Coalition of Police and Sheriffs, the American Veterans Relief Foundation, the Association of Disabled Firefighters Fund, the Veterans Assistance Council, Inc. and the Coalition of Disabled Firefighters Inc.
Attorney general spokesman Kelly Kennedy said the operations were sophisticated.
"They collected approximately $10 million from out-of-state donations," he said.
Kennedy said that none of the solicitations were collected in Wisconsin.
The defendants would face up to 15 years in prison for each count and fines up to twice the amount of the donations that were obtained if convicted, according to the release.
Four Eau Claire businesses were allegedly involved in the racketeering charges. These include Public Awareness, Inc., Civic Action, Inc., Community Outreach, Inc. and Community Support, Inc. Two other businesses in Wisconsin were also allegedly involved.
Freshman Rachel Gross said she and her family often give to charities through church and through her mother's work. She said she usually doesn't question or doubt charities.
"I would hope, considering it's a charity, that (the money) was going to the charity and people weren't abusing it," she said.
Only a small amount of the donations were going to the charities, Kennedy said.
He said most of it was kept for fund-raisers and for the salaries of the employees.
Director of Career Services Jeanne Skoug said Ranta did not receive the job through Career Services.
White, Ranta and Ranta's defense attorney Jay Heit did not return phone messages from The Spectator.