Pophal’s forfeited assets headed to public auction

Assets seized from a former Hamburg resident convicted of running a multimillion-dollar investment fraud scheme will be sold at online public auctions beginning July 28, 2026, U.S. Attorney Chadwick Elgersma announced, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Stanley Pophal, 64, of Wausau, formerly of Hamburg, pleaded guilty June 12 to wire fraud and money laundering after defrauding 190 investors out of $14.25 million. Investigators seized more than 600 items Pophal had purchased with investor funds, including hundreds of snowmobiles he had stored in a rented warehouse and other assets. Pophal agreed to forfeit the items and is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 2 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley.
The auctions will be held online through Apple Auctioneering Co. at appleauctioneeringco.com. Prospective bidders can select “Schedule” on the site to view auction details for the U.S. Treasury (WI Motorsports) sale, and “Information” to learn how to register. Advance registration is required to place a bid.
“Restitution is a critical part of our justice system. Our responsibility is not only to hold criminals accountable, but to also do everything within the law to help victims recover what was stolen from them,” Elgersma said. “The forfeiture and sale of assets in this case are part of our efforts to make Pophal’s victims whole. The U.S. Department of Justice is committed to using every available tool to support victims, protect the public, and reaffirm that fraud has real consequences.”
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigations, the FBI, the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wausau Police Department, with assistance from the Iowa Insurance Fraud Bureau, the Allamakee County Attorney’s Office, and the Allamakee and Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Offices in Iowa.