Dodge County Sheriff Dustin Weitzel pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday to one count of wire fraud and admitted to using his position at the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 17 to transfer union funds into his own bank account.
Weitzel, 46, was elected as the Dodge County Sheriff in 2022. He had been employed by the Sheriff’s Office since 1999, and served as the treasurer for the Dodge County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 17, or FOP17, beginning at some point prior to 2018.
All deputies with the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office were required to be members of FOP17, and dues were deducted from members’ paychecks. As treasurer, Weitzel was responsible for overseeing the collection of dues and maintaining the organization’s bank accounts. He was the only lodge member with online access to the bank accounts, according to prosecutors.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s…
This remains the most prevalent form of financial crime globally. It targets the direct access points to your money: your cards and your bank accounts.
- Skimming: Criminals use small devices called “skimmers” placed over ATM or point-of-sale card slots to capture the data from your card’s magnetic strip.
- Card-Not-Present (CNP) Fraud: This occurs during online shopping where a physical card isn’t required. Thieves use stolen card numbers, expiry dates, and CVV codes to make unauthorized purchases.
- Account Takeover (ATO): A hacker gains access to your online banking credentials (often through malware or phishing) and changes the contact details or passwords, locking you out while they drain your funds.