GRAVE CONSEQUENCES: Arletta Allen, 43, of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, has been indicted on arson and wire fraud charges in connection with a devastating fire that ravaged A Family Affair Soulfood Kitchen on October 10, 2021.
The indictment, handed down by a federal grand jury on December 17, 2024, charges Allen with arson of a commercial building (Count One), wire fraud and attempted wire fraud (Count Two), arson in connection with a federal felony (Count Three), and making false statements to law enforcement (Count Four).
According to the indictment, Allen maliciously damaged by fire the restaurant located at 417 S. Main Street in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and then executed a scheme to defraud Germantown Mutual Insurance Company by setting fire to the restaurant and signing a sworn proof of loss claim seeking insurance proceeds for losses caused by the fire, while falsely representing that she did not cause or procure the fire.
The indictment also alleges that Allen lied to law enforcement officers on multiple occasions about her activities and location prior to the fire.
If convicted, Allen faces the following penalties: Count One, mandatory minimum of 5 years’ and up to 20 years’ imprisonment; Count Two, up to 20 years’ imprisonment; Count Three, mandatory minimum 10 years’ imprisonment which must run consecutive to any other sentence; and Count Four, up to 5 years’ imprisonment.
The case was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigations (DCI). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly B. Watzka and Porchia S. Lewand.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove her guilty of each offense beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Key Facts
- State: Wisconsin
- Category: Violent Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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