(Updated 7/11/23 at 12:30 pm to include details from the criminal complaint provided by the Wisconsin Department of Justice)
APPLETON, Wis–The criminal complaint filed against a Grand Chute supervisor accuses him of using his position to get a town contract for a company he owns. Ron Wolff is charged in Outagamie County Court with having private interest in a public contract.
Ron Wolff criminal complaint by Jonathan Krause on Scribd
Prosecutors allege Wolff’s company, Lakeshore Cleaners, submitted a bid of nearly $27,000 for a planting project at the Champion Center in May of 2021. Former Town Administrator Jim March told investigators that Wolff claimed that he had divested himself from the company before the bid was submitted, and eventually approved by the Town Board, but later found out that Wolff continued to own and operate Lakeshore. That came a month after Wolff was sworn into office on the Board.
March also claimed that Wolff told him that he would bid on all town contracts pertaining to his multiple businesses. Wolff faces up to three and a half years in prison if convicted. He will make his initial appearance in court August 1st.
ORIGINAL VERSION:
(Updated 7/11/23 at 8:15 am to reflect status of complaint filed in the case)
APPLETON, Wis–Prosecutors file one felony count against Grand Chute Town Board member Ron Wolff. Wolff is facing one count of Private Interest–Contract Private Capacity, which involves a public elected official using that position to enter into a private contract for personal financial benefit. The alleged crime took place on May 4th of 2021, less than a month after Wolff was first elected to the Town Board.
He had been the subject of a state Division of Criminal Investigation probe since spring of last year when he was accused of living in the town of Nichols–while serving on the Grand Chute Town Board. Only a summons complaint has been filed so far–which requires Wolff to make his initial appearance in Outagamie County Court on August 1st. A formal criminal complaint with details on the allegations has not yet been filed.
The charge carries a prison sentence of up to three and a half years if convicted. A special prosecutor has been appointed to handle the case.
