Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee man accused in ‘card cracking’ scheme already in prison for fatal crash

Published

5 months ago

December 21, 2025

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.

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Milwaukee, WI

Brad Paisley to perform at BMO Pavilion in Milwaukee on Sept. 4

Published

11 hours ago

May 11, 2026

Press Room

Brad Paisley to perform at BMO Pavilion in Milwaukee on Sept. 4

article

Brad Paisley (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)

MILWAUKEE – Brad Paisley is scheduled to perform at the BMO Pavilion in Milwaukee on Sept. 4.

Ticket information

What we know:

The ticket pre-sale for Brad’s fan club members, Paisley Nation, begins on Tuesday, May 12 at 10 am. All tickets available at BradPaisley.com.

The tour will also offer a variety of VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level.

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Packages vary but include premium seats, a guided backstage tour, VIP-exclusive gift item, early entry & more. VIP package contents vary depending on the selected offer. For more information, visit VIPnation.com.

The Source: The information in this post was provided by Live Nation.

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Milwaukee, WI

WSJ: Billionaire Milwaukee Bucks co-owner targeted in extortion scheme – UPI.com

Published

24 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Press Room

WSJ: Billionaire Milwaukee Bucks co-owner targeted in extortion scheme – UPI.com

Billionaire Wes Edens, co-founder of Fortress Investment Group and co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks NBA club, is shown at Sun Valley, Idaho, on July 9, 2015. The Wall Street Journal on Sunday identified Edens as the victim of a billion-dollar extortion plot allegedly hatched by an ex-lover. File Photo by Andrew Gombert/EPA

May 10 (UPI) — Wes Edens, the billionaire co-founder of Fortress Investment Group and an owner of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks, was the target of a billion-dollar extortion scheme allegedly perpetrated by an ex-lover, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.

A spokesman for Edens, 64, confirmed to the newspaper that the financier is the unnamed alleged victim in a federal indictment brought against Changli “Sophia” Luo of New York City.

Edens, one of world’s most successful global investment management firm leaders with Fortress, has developed and owned businesses in real estate, transportation, infrastructure, health care, financial services, media and entertainment.

He is also a high-profile sports team owner, including the Bucks and soccer club Aston Villa of the English Premier League. He is credited turning the Bucks from a perennial cellar dweller into a champion squad over a five-year span, culminating in the 2021 NBA championship.

But he also fell victim to a lurid alleged “sextortion” scheme, his spokesman confirmed to the WSJ, admitting the Edens is the unnamed “Victim 1” cited an indictment filed last year in Manhattan federal court against Luo.

The indictment reportedly accuses her of trying to extort Victim 1 of more than $1 billion by threatening to release videos and photos of them engaged in sex. Prosecutors alleged Luo also threatened to contact the victim’s family members and business partners in a threat to destroy his fortune if he did not pay up.

According to the indictment, Luo was arrested June 14 at JFK International Airport as she tried to board a flight to China, the New York Post reported.

“Mr. Edens will be making no comment on the case as the indictment speaks for itself with respect to the charges against the defendant,” his spokesman told the Journal. “Mr. Edens expects to testify under oath at the upcoming trial.”

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Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Weather: Cooler Sunday with a slight chance for sprinkles

Published

1 day ago

May 10, 2026

Press Room

MILWAUKEE – Forecast from FOX6 Meteorologist Lisa Michaels

Mostly sunny skies with partly sunny skies in the afternoon. There is a slight chance for a few sprinkles, but most areas remain dry. Highs near 60F on Sunday.
Patchy frost is possible again Sunday night into Monday morning as low temps inland can reach the lower 30s.
Cooler on Monday with easterly winds- low 50s near the lake to upper 50s inland.
A big boost in temperatures on Tuesday in the low 70s associated with a clipper system will bring the next chance of rain and a few storms.

Today: Mostly Sunny. Slight chance sprinkles.
High: 60°
Wind: NW 5-15

Tonight: Mostly Clear. Patchy frost.
Low: 38°
Wind: N 5

Monday: 53 LAKE. Mostly sunny.
High: 57°
Wind: E 5-10

Tuesday: Chance storms. Breezy.
AM Low: 39° High: 71°
Wind: SW 10-25

Wednesday:Partly sunny.
AM Low: 46° High: 59°
Wind: NW 5-15

Thursday: Mostly Sunny. Slight chance sprinkles.
AM Low: 42° High: 64°
Wind: S 5-10

Friday: Chance of Rain
AM Low: 47° High: 72°
Wind: SW 5-15

6-day planner

FOX6 Weather Extras

Local perspective:

Meanwhile, FOX6Now.com offers a variety of extremely useful weather tools to help you navigate the stormy season. They include the following:

FOX6 Storm Center app

FOX LOCAL Mobile app

FOX Weather app

FOX Weather

Big picture view:

Maps and radar

We have a host of maps and radars on the FOX6 Weather page that are updating regularly — to provide you the most accurate assessment of the weather. From a county-by-county view to the Midwest regional radar and a national view — it’s all there.

School and business closings

When the weather gets a little dicey, schools and businesses may shut down. Monitor the latest list of closings, cancellations, and delays reported in southeast Wisconsin.