The Milwaukee Post

16 • Milwaukee County Post • September 19, 2014 By BRIAN HUBER Conley News Service WAUKESHA — A Lake Geneva woman who organized two charity events for U.S. troops at a Waukesha business not only failed to turn over the proceeds to a char- ity as she said she would, she also bilked donors of thousands of dollars of mer- chandise and faked having cancer, for which another benefit was done in her honor, a criminal complaint said. More than three years after a "Rock & Ride for the Troops II" event took place in Waukesha, Denise Rupcic, 46, was charged Tuesday in Waukesha County Circuit Court with one count of theft by false representation and ordered to appear in court Oct. 6. She faces 3 1/2 years in prison if convicted. Rupcic could not be reached for com- ment Tuesday. The criminal complaint against her says Rupcic was an organizer of a "Rock & Ride for the Troops" event at Master Z's Cue Club in Waukesha in 2010, which was to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project. But despite telling Master Z's co- owner Tracey Zettelmeier she'd donated $5,000 from the first event to the charity, no donation was made, the criminal com- plaint said. Soon after that, in September 2010, Master Z's hosted a "Dee's Fight" benefit for Rupcic, who claimed to have cancer and mounting medical bills that raised about $2,000, but Rupcic later told an investigator she did not have cancer, that the money was for "hard times," the com- plaint said. Rupcic claimed only $670 was raised, which she used on dental work, the complaint added. Donor allegedly bilked In May 2011, a second "Rock & Ride for the Troops" event was held at Master Z's, in which Rupcic solicited donations and merchandise to be auctioned. Legends of the Field donated 19 items worth a total of $3,053 to the event and was expecting to receive what it charged for each piece, or the pieces themselves returned within two weeks. Rupcic told the store that not all of the items had sold and that she had returned the remainder, as well as $300 proceeds from what was sold, but Legends of the Fields business records show no such returns or proceeds, the complaint said, leading to the theft charge. The items — signed by Milwaukee Brewers and Green Bay Packers players — were found at the Town of Mukwonago home Rupcic shared with another person who organized the event under the banner of "Almost Famous Booking," who has not been charged in the case. He told investigators he booked bands, emceed, and Rupcic handled all the paperwork and money. Several of the sports items were recov- ered there, the complaint said. Rupcic told police she donated $1,600 to the Wounded Warrior Project from the first event — no such donation was received by the group, the complaint said — but the second one lost money and cost her $4,000 out of her own pocket. "The defendant admitted she did not keep track of the money coming in and going out," the complaint said. "She said she was horrible at doing that." A review of bank records for Almost Famous Booking and other records showed that shortly after the Almost Famous account was opened, Rupcic used it for both business and personal expens- es, including paying bills and gambling at the Potawatomi casino in Milwaukee, the complaint said. Business owner 'offended' Ken Zettlemeier, a co-owner of Master Z's Cue Club, which has since closed — he owns Master Z's Dart and Pool Supply store in Waukesha now — said he "went bonkers" when he lear ned that the fundraisers were a scam. He had suspi- cions earlier, he said, but the day of the second troops event his suspicions were confirmed when bands were wondering why they were not getting paid right away, and the owner of a Harley-Davidson dealership that donated a motorcycle for the event questioned him about the finan- cial arrangements of the raffle, for which Zettelmeier himself sold thousands of dollars in tickets. Not to mention his own costs for things like the time it took to plan the event and payroll, which were only partially recouped in food and bev- erage sales from the hundreds of people who attended. "She used a fund-raiser for a very well- known, valid organization called Wounded Warriors and took advantage and used my business to run a scam. For her to drag my through the dirt like that, I was offended," he said. "Obviously we're elated she's being charged. ... We're very happy she's going to have to pay the price now." Contact Brian Huber bhuber@conleynet.com Woman accused of running scam troops charity event Complaint: Organizer spent money at casino, bilked auction donor, faked cancer Post Staff MILWAUKEE — The lights along Milwaukee's lakefront are getting an upgrade, Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele announced Wednesday. The Milwaukee County Parks Department is upgrading 350 light poles along North Lincoln Memorial Drive from high-pressure sodium bulbs to LEDs. The project is being funded through the Innovation Fund, which Abele placed in the 2014 budget and was approved by the County Board. The move is expected to reduce electric- ity usage along the road by 50 percent and save more than $14,000 a year, according to a release. Upgrading the lights will also sig- nificantly reduce staff time that is spent maintaining the current lights, it added. "Since taking office we've been making big changes across the county to become more sustainable and efficient, this project and the entire Innovation Program high- lights that progress," Abele said in a release. "By moving to LED lighting, we save significant tax dollars every year, use less energy and improve the lighting along our beautiful lakefront." Abele's $4 million Innovation Fund uses land sale revenue and not tax dollars, a release said. New LED lights being installed along lakefront D&M Heating and Air Conditioning 4227 S. 13th St. Milwaukee 414-281-5350 "At Your Service" www.dmheating.com • Prompt, professional service since 1979 239970038 24 HOUR SERVICE Did your old furnace struggle through last winter? Think it'll get any better this year? Family owned and operated for almost 4 decades, trust our certified technicians to keep your furnace running at peak performance while lowering your heating costs this Winter. 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