MADISON, WI — U.S. Attorney Chadwick Elgersma announced today that, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Treasury, assets seized from Stanley Pophal will be offered for sale through online public auctions beginning on July 28, 2026.
Stanley Pophal, 64, Wausau, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty on June 12, 2026, to wire fraud and money laundering after defrauding 190 investors out of $14.25 million. As part of the investigation, law enforcement agents seized more than 600 items Pophal purchased using investor funds, including hundreds of snowmobiles that he stored in a rented warehouse. Pophal, who agreed to forfeit these items, is scheduled to be sentenced on September 2, 2026, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley.
The auctions will be conducted online. The most current information is available on the Apple Auctioneering Co. website. Select “Schedule” to view details about the U.S. Treasury (WI Motorsports) auction and select “Information” to learn how to register and place a bid. If you intend to place a bid, you must register in advance.
“Restitution is a critical part of our justice system. Our responsibility is not only to hold criminals accountable, but to also do everything within the law to help victims recover what was stolen from them,” explained U.S. Attorney Elgersma.
“The forfeiture and sale of assets in this case are part of our efforts to make Pophal’s victims whole. The U.S. Department of Justice is committed to using every available tool to support victims, protect the public, and reaffirm that fraud has real consequences.”
Pophal’s criminal case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigations, FBI, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, and Wausau Police Department, with assistance from the Iowa Insurance Fraud Bureau, Allamakee County Attorney’s Office, and the Allamakee and Winneshiek Sheriff’s Offices, also in Iowa.
Last Update: Jul 14, 2026 9:32 am CDT
