Wisconsin Man Drains $14,250,000 From 190 Investors, Spends Funds on Private Planes, Cars, Motorcycles and Snowmobiles
A Wisconsin man has received an eight-year federal prison sentence for operating a Ponzi scheme that defrauded 190 investors out of $14.25 million.
The 64-year-old resident of Wausau, identified as Stanley Pophal, pleaded guilty in June to wire fraud and money laundering charges, reports KIMT.
Pophal ran Bright with Silver Inc., formerly known as Fromm Bros. Inc., from May 2019 through June 2025 and sold promissory notes that guaranteed at least 20% returns while falsely claiming his personal wealth shielded the investments.
Instead of directing the money into cryptocurrency, real estate or commodities as promised, he spent the funds on private plane rentals, mortgages and more than 600 luxury items including snowmobiles, motorcycles and vehicles.
He sustained the scheme by using money from new investors to pay earlier ones, authorities said.
Says Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx,
“This was a complex, interwoven case involving numerous victims and multiple agencies across Iowa and Wisconsin. Every participating agency dedicated countless hours to gathering evidence and holding Mr. Pophal accountable.”
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