Willie C. Wade, Wire Fraud Scheme, Wisconsin 2023

Willie C. Wade, a 57-year-old former Milwaukee alderman, was sentenced to four months in federal prison Wednesday for orchestrating a wire fraud scheme that sought to sell political influence he didn’t have. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman handed down the sentence, emphasizing the corrosive impact such crimes have on public trust in government.

According to court documents, Wade duped a cooperating businessman into handing over $30,000 in cash by falsely claiming he was brokering a bribe on behalf of a sitting Milwaukee alderman. He promised the businessman a favorable vote on a downtown strip club license — a vote he had no power to influence. The targeted alderman, unnamed in filings, was never approached and had zero knowledge of Wade’s scheme.

The FBI moved in after the businessman, working with federal agents, recorded conversations with Wade. Wire fraud charges were filed when electronic communications tied Wade to the false representations. No actual bribe was paid by the city official — because no bribe was ever offered — but Wade kept the $30,000 he scammed from the informant.

Judge Adelman called the crime ‘extremely serious,’ stating that even without a successful payoff, the mere appearance of corruption damages democracy. ‘When people believe policy can be bought and paid for, faith in government erodes,’ Adelman said. ‘Imprisonment is necessary to deter others from exploiting public office for personal gain.’

As part of his plea agreement, Wade agreed to repay the full $30,000 during his three-year supervised release. He made an initial restitution payment of $10,000 before stepping into court. Failure to pay the balance could result in additional penalties or extended supervision.

The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard G. Frohling. Matthew D. Krueger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, confirmed the outcome. Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales remains available for media inquiries at (414) 297-1700.

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