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A De Pere businessman faces 14 federal charges that he defrauded more than $9 million in loans and investments, some of which came from the state’s job creation agency.
A grand jury in Milwaukee handed down a complaint against 62-year-old Ronald Van Den Heuvel. Prosecutors say he was planning to use the money for his “Green Box” business aimed at turning fast food waste into energy and other products — but he instead used the funds for a Cadillac, Packer tickets, payments to creditors, and support for his ex wife.
About $1.2 million allegedly came from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, and officials say he defrauded a Chinese investment program and a private investment firm in Canada.
Van Den Heuvel has faced fraud allegations in the past, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued him this week for securities’ law violations.