Michael C. Siegel, Strip Club Owner Charged with Federal Offenses, Wisconsin 2019

Dodge County Strip Club Owner Charged with Federal Offenses

Michael C. Siegel, a 52-year-old strip club owner from Fox Lake, Wisconsin, has been charged with federal offenses related to the operation of the Hardware Store, a strip club in Dodge County. Siegel, along with his former manager Scott D. Hoeft, age 40, of Watertown, Wisconsin, has been indicted for their involvement in promoting, managing, and carrying on unlawful prostitution offenses at the club.

According to the indictment, the purpose of the conspiracy was to generate revenue for the Hardware Store by making the club’s lap dance and champagne rooms available for unlawful prostitution activity, including oral sex, full intercourse, and fetish activities. The indictment alleges that as a part of the conspiracy, Hoeft, Siegel, and others: (1) hired and employed dancers willing to perform sex acts, including women that they knew were working for pimps; (2) sent text messages in interstate commerce and used Facebook Messenger to communicate with dancers and pimps; and (3) allowed customers to use credit cards to pay for lap dances and champagne rooms and to obtain cash back to pay dancers directly for sex acts.

United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger commented: “These charges send a warning to any business owner who works with a pimp to facilitate illegal prostitution. When a pimp is involved, women are often being trafficked by force, fraud, and coercion. The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting sex trafficking aggressively.”

Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Hughes, of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office, stated: “The collaborative efforts of the FBI working closely with our law enforcement partners makes it possible to bring offenders to justice who work with pimps who victimize women, often forced by violence into the unlawful act of prostitution.”

Michael C. Siegel and Scott D. Hoeft are facing serious charges, including conspiracy to promote, manage, and carry on unlawful prostitution offenses, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 & 1952(a)(3). Siegel is also charged with making false statements to law enforcement investigating human trafficking offenses, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001.

If convicted of Count One, Siegel and Hoeft would face up to 5 years in prison. If convicted of Count Two, Siegel would face up to 8 years in prison. Each count of conviction also carries a maximum fine of $250,000 and a maximum term of 3 years of supervised release following any prison sentence.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, Racine Police Department, United States Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, Hartford Police Department, and Federal Deposition Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the Wisconsin Department of Justice –Division of Criminal Investigation, Watertown Police Department, Milwaukee Police Department and United States Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwi/pr/dodge-county-strip-club-owner-former-manager-charged-federal-offenses