MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – A Fort Atkinson contractor pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges connected to a home improvement fraud scheme, federal officials announced.
Tyler Hansen, 52, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges in U.S. District Court in Madison. As part of a plea agreement, Hansen admitted that he lied to customers. When Hansen said he was using money from down payments to buy building materials for their projects, he said he used the money for his own expenses.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Hansen ran a home improvement business from Oct. 2020 to Sept. 2022 that was based in Dane and Jefferson counties. The business went by several names, including Weathersealed Wisconsin and EcoView Windows of South-Central Wisconsin.
Hansen pleaded guilty to participating in a wire fraud scheme when starting home improvement project customers with Wisconsin customers, knowing he didn’t intend to order supplies or start the projects. These projects included windows, sunrooms, bathroom remodels, roofs and doors. Down payments were regularly required at 50% the contract price.
Officials noted Hansen, and his wife Jennifer Hansen, also pleaded guilty to participating in a money laundering conspiracy. The pair tried to hide the down payment funds using multiple businesses and personal bank accounts, according to the DOJ.
Hansen will appear in court for sentencing on Dec. 19, while Jennifer, 43, will appear in court on Dec. 13.
Both wire fraud and money laundering have a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison per charge.
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