Meager assets available for employees, customers of failed solar firm - WKOW

Meager assets available for employees, customers of failed solar firm | News | wkow.com
More than 115 individuals, businesses and government entities are listed as creditors in the court case. Many of them are customers of the solar firm who paid up to $60,000 for the installation of a solar energy system and either partial work or no work at all.

WAUKESHA COUNTY (WKOW) - Court records show a small fraction of what is owed to former employees, suppliers and customers of failed Wisconsin firm Sun Badger Solar is available for reimbursement after the firm's assets were auctioned off.

An interim report filed Tuesday in Waukesha County Court by attorney John Wirth shows the auction of solar panels, tools, equipment -- even items such as room dividers -- brought in $226,786. The report states company cash deposits were found with a value of $30,391.

Wirth is serving as a receiver in this court-ordered action to manage the liquidation of Sun Badger's proceeds.

More than 115 individuals, businesses and government entities are listed as creditors in the court case.

Many of them are customers of the solar firm who paid up to $60,000 for the installation of a solar energy system and either partial work or no work at all.

Middleton's Allan Levin is one of those customers.

"Initially when this happened, you get very angry," Levin said.

Levin said his expectations for reimbursement through the court action were low.

"You'll get back pennies on the dollar at best," Levin said.

A federal court filing against Sun Badger Solar earlier this year sought more than $350,000 to reimburse 95 unpaid company employees and is also still pending.

In the Waukesha County case, Wirth stated in his interim report how the division of money will take place.

"I expect...that all proceeds I have recovered, net of costs, will be paid under Wisconsin Statutes Section 109.09 through the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development to satisfy the claims of unpaid employees," Wirth wrote. "Other creditors will understandably be unhappy."

Ted Beringer was a supervising electrician for Sun Badger Solar when pay checks dried up just before Christmas. He'd welcome any reimbursement in the Waukesha County Court case, but he remains frustrated.

"I don't know if that will come close to paying back the money that they'd taken," Beringer said. "I wish it never got to this point in the first place."

In addition to actions against Sun Badger Solar in civil court, a spokesperson for the Mount Prospect, Illinois Police Department told 27 News an investigation into a former Sun Badger Solar employee was started in February 2022 and is on-going.

In the interim report in the Waukesha County case, Wirth said the former worker is suspected of defrauding the company of as much as $1 million. 27 News has been unable to reach the former employee for comment.

Wirth stated a final report on the firm's assets is expected in October, but cautioned he doesn't believe any additional assets will be identified to reimburse former workers, customers and others.

One of Sun Badger Solar's chief operating officers, Trevor Sumner has yet to respond to a request for comment from 27 News.