Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee man accused in ‘card cracking’ scheme already in prison for fatal crash
Man charged in ‘card cracking’ scheme
A Milwaukee man is now accused of scamming people and banks out of tens of thousands of dollars in what investigators call a “card cracking” scheme.
MILWAUKEE – A Milwaukee man, already serving prison time for a fatal crash, is now accused of scamming people and banks out of tens of thousands of dollars before that crash even happened.
In Court:
Prosecutors said 27-year-old Jaquon Benson used fraudulent checks to take cash out of multiple ATMs in a scheme known as “card cracking.” He is charged with six felonies.
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‘Card cracking’ scheme
The backstory:
Court filings said Benson was caught on camera at ATMs across the Milwaukee metropolitan area, cashing out what investigators said were fraudulent checks.
According to a criminal complaint, Benson was the ringleader in a scheme that spanned several months in 2023. Here’s how investigators said it worked.
ATM surveillance image of Jaquon Benson (Courtesy: MCDAO)
First, someone needs a check or bank information. Benson is accused of recruiting a friend to steal checks from USPS drop boxes. The stolen checks would then be modified, sometimes to the tune of thousands of dollars.
Next, prosecutors said Benson took to social media to recruit people to use their bank accounts or to open up new accounts. Investigators said, after depositing the fraudulent checks into those accounts, Benson would pull up to the ATM to withdraw – or attempt to withdraw – the money he had just deposited.
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Multiple banks were targeted to the tune of more than $116,000. Court filings said the victims ranged from people to business – to even the “Milwaukee County Office of the Sheriff.” But not all that money was pocketed.
The complaint said many banks had security measures in place to stop potential fraud before it happened. Still, Benson is accused of cashing out close to $61,000.
Social media image included in criminal complaint filed against Jaquon Benson (Courtesy: MCDAO)
Dig deeper:
Benson was caught driving a stolen car in May 2024. When officers tried to stop him, he took off and crashed into a van at 27th and Locust – killing a 41-year-old man. He was sentenced to more than a decade in prison.
The Source: FOX6 News reviewed a criminal complaint filed with the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court records, as well as prior coverage of the fatal crash case.
Milwaukee, WI
Truck drives in to Grace Coffee in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward overnight
MILWAUKEE — A truck drove through the Grace Coffee Co. in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward on early Friday morning, the owners announced in a social media post.
Due to the extensive damage that was done, the coffee shop will be closed until further notice.
TMJ4
“We’re incredibly grateful no one was hurt, and we’ll keep you updated as we begin repairs,” the coffee shop said in the post.
TMJ4 reached out to the Milwaukee Police Department but have yet to hear back.
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Milwaukee, WI
MPS layoffs plan draws pushback as district works to close $46M gap
MPS cuts face backlash
Milwaukee Public Schools plans about 200 layoffs to close a $46 million budget gap, but union leaders say cuts could impact student safety while district leaders say no classroom teachers will be eliminated.
MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee Public Schools is planning to cut roughly 200 positions next school year as the district works to close a multi-million-dollar budget gap — but there’s disagreement over which roles will be impacted.
What we know:
District leaders say the goal is to close a roughly $46 million shortfall, prompting changes that Superintendent Brenda Cassellius says are necessary.
Milwaukee Public Schools said about 201 staff members will be impacted. District leaders say no classroom teachers, counselors or social workers will be cut — something the teachers’ union disputes.
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The reductions stem from a previously approved plan to eliminate about 260 non-classroom roles. The final number dropped after retirements and existing vacancies. The Milwaukee Board of School Directors approved that plan on March 9.
What they’re saying:
“We have a $50 million deficit, we are for sure not going to be able to do business the same way that we’ve been able to do business,” Cassellius said. “Change is just hard. It’s just hard. And every single one of our employees is so important.”
But some educators say the cuts go too far.
“MTEA is setting up a distress signal. We are talking about our teachers, art teachers, music teachers, physical education teachers, counselors — things that the voters of referendum of Milwaukee actually voted for,” said Ingrid Walker-Henry, president of the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association. “Staffing is being cut to the extent that they are concerned about student safety.”
Cassellius acknowledged the uncertainty and asked school leaders for patience.
“We just have to for sure know our budget situation, where we’re at with that after these cuts are made in order to make those decisions,” she said. “So I’m asking my principals, be patient with us.”
By the numbers:
The district outlined the 201 affected positions as:
- 70 central office roles
- 62 educators with a teaching license but not assigned to one classroom
- 59 assistant principals
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MPS says the savings will support new class size guidelines, including:
- 18 students per teacher in K3
- 20 students per teacher in K4
- 22 students per teacher in K5
Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS)
District leaders say no students will be asked to leave a school to meet class size guidelines. Officials say they are working with schools that may not have space or that require larger classes based on specific programs.
What’s next:
Milwaukee Public Schools plans to present its proposed 2026–27 budget to the Milwaukee Board of School Directors in May.
The Source: Information in this post was provided by Milwaukee Public Schools and prior FOX6 coverage.
Milwaukee, WI
Brewers finally announce cable, satellite TV channels for broadcasts
What’s the main story line of the 2026 Brewers season?
Curt Hogg and JR Radcliffe chat about the overriding storyline for the 2026 Brewers on the cusp of opening day, part of the ‘Microbrew’ podcast.
Just before the pitch clock hits zero, the Milwaukee Brewers released a rundown of channels on cable and satellite for game broadcasts, mere hours before the 1:10 p.m. CT first pitch on Opening Day, Thursday, March 26.
The club said channels include 1263 on XFinity, 670 on DirecTV, 1743 on U-Verse, and 319 or 469 on Spectrum. The broadcasts are also listed as available on streaming service Fubo.
The Brewers are pointing fans to a channel-finding tool on their web site at Brewers.com/watch, though in the moments after the announcement, the channel finder was not yet locating details for Spectrum customers for Milwaukee-area zip codes. A club spokesperson said Major League Baseball was aware of the error and the games would indeed air on Spectrum in Milwaukee.
The built-in Spectrum guide still showed Channel 308 as the “BREW” offering in Milwaukee, with Brewers Live Pregame scheduled to begin at noon CT and baseball at 1 p.m. March 26.
With the February announcement of a switchover from FanDuel Sports Wisconsin to Major League Baseball productions in 2026, MLB negotiations have gone down to the wire with the various providers around Wisconsin. Several teams covered by Main Street Sports, which operated the FanDuel brand, have been in a similar boat this offseason.
Brewers fans aren’t alone in experiencing the late-arriving channel information. Maury Brown of Forbes has been keeping track of all the late-arriving channel announcements for teams around baseball, specifically those that were covered by the Main Street Sports. As of 7 a.m. March 26, the Royals, Rays, Tigers and Braves also still hadn’t released channel listings.
Streaming customers who used the FanDuel Sports Wisconsin app in previous years can use the new Brewers.TV option to once again watch games. The opener is also one of 10 games simulcast on over-the-air channels this season, including WITI-TV (Channel 6) in Milwaukee.
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