CBS 58 Investigates: Man charged after allegedly preying on elderly in snow plow scam

CBS 58 Investigates: Man charged after allegedly preying on elderly in snow plow scam
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MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) – The Wisconsin Department of Justice has filed charges against a Minnesota man after his snow plow company allegedly scammed dozens of victims in Wisconsin and several other states.

Matthew Erickson, 31, is charged with five counts of theft after five people in Waukesha County claim they hired Erickson’s snow plow company “Snow Angels,” but never received services and didn’t get their money back. Erickson was arrested Tuesday in Minnesota and is awaiting extradition to Wisconsin.

According to a criminal complaint, Erickson and his company took advantage of 111 people nationwide in nine states, including 28 in Wisconsin. The DOJ says many of Erickson’s victims were over the age of 60.  

Of the 28 Wisconsin victims, five were in Waukesha County, 19 were in Milwaukee County, two were in Washington County and two were in Racine County. Seventeen of the 28 victims were elderly. Erickson is also believed to be connected to victims who were scammed in Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Rhode Island. In Wisconsin, the total amount of restitution is currently $13,060; nationwide, the amount is in excess of $50,000.

CBS 58 investigates previously reported about the Snow Angels business in February. At the time the Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin had received several complaints about Snow Angels and was compiling information to handover to police.

Anyone with information about Erickson or the company Snow Angels is asked to contact Wisconsin DOJ Consumer Protection investigators at (608) 266-8063.

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