Culver's workers in Muskego charged in extortion scheme after prosecutors say they threatened to reveal boss's affair

 

MUSKEGO, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Two Culver's employees at the restaurant's Muskego location are facing extortion charges after Waukesha County prosecutors say they threatened to reveal their boss's affair unless he paid thousands of dollars.

Court documents reveal the co-owner of the Muskego Culver's had a three-month long affair with one of his employees in 2022.

Officials said 29-year-old Cameron Rueda of Waukesha, who had been fired for not showing up to work, is responsible for threatening to tell the co-owner's wife about the affair and "distribute flyers all over the city of Muskego to ruin his reputation" unless he was paid $1,100 or one week's pay.

Documents showed the co-owner paid up.

But then in February, the co-owner began receiving threatening text messages from someone else who was now demanding $2,000.

After the co-owner paid that via Venmo, the same threat continued, asking for another $2,000.

Officials said the person behind these threats is a different employee, 29-year-old Cody Labonte of Muskego, who the co-owner texted "leave me and my family alone!!!"

Just weeks later, documents show Labonte then demanded $5,000 and said that once paid, he wouldn't bother the co-owner again -- but by this time, the Muskego Police Department had gotten involved.

Now the two men are formally charged with "threatening to communicate derogatory information." which is a felony that, if convicted, carries up to three years in prison.

Both defendants are set to appear in court at 8:15 a.m., with Labonte on Aug. 29 and Rueda on Sept. 5.

Culver's did not respond to a request for comment.