And now, even more bizarre documents regarding the receivership of Green Box NA Green Bay, LLC including transcripts of court testimony by Wisconsin’s # 100 Top Tax Delinquent, Ron Van Den Heuvel:
Ron Van Den Heuvel claims that he can CLEAN THE PLANET!!! and MAKE PEOPLE RICH!!! if they’ll just invest in E.A.R.T.H.!!! (And would you mind dropping by his nice big spread on the Fox River and giving him some cash each week, too? That’d be great. ‘Cuz Ron has bills. And he’s totally broke. And he doesn’t really own that nice big spread on the Fox. Jim George does. He and Ron shook hands. Someone pays the $48,000/year property taxes, but Ron can’t remember who. It’s all good. Someday, some of us will be RICH on a CLEAN E.A.R.T.H.!!! Someday….)
Ron Van Den Heuvel
Ready for crazy?
Starting on page 22:
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] My wife [Kelly Yessman Van Den Heuvel] and I have no checkbooks at any bank anyplace.
[Attorney Johnathan Smies (of Godfrey & Kahn) on behalf of Plaintiffs:] So you’re testifying you do not have a checking account and your wife does not have a checking account at any –
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Or a savings account anywhere.
[Attorney Smies:] You have no – you have no bank account, and your wife has no bank account?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] No bank accounts.
[Attorney Smies:] How long has that been the case?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Five years.
[Attorney Smies:] So I’m curious. Why is it that you don’t have any bank accounts?
[Atty. John Petitjean (of Hinkfuss, Sickel, Petitjean & Weiting), counsel for Ron Van Den Heuvel:] He’s here to answer questions about assets and liabilities, not why.
[Attorney Smies:] How do you go about paying your bills without a bank account?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I have other people pay them, or I pay cash.
[Attorney Smies:] So do you maintain a store of cash somewhere in your house or –
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Nope.
[Attorney Smies:] Do you have any cash on you today?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Fifty bucks maybe. I don’t know. Thirty bucks.
[Attorney Smies:] I thought I saw a hundred dollar bill in there.
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Gentlemen that I won this from decided to laminate it, so I can’t ever cash it. It’s useless. To Ron Van Den Heuvel, from Chris Hartwig (Link 1). I lost the bet. And he laminated it so I could never cash it.
[Attorney Smies:] Oh. So other than that –
[Atty. Petitjean:] Wait. I have to write this down. Laminate bet losses.
[Attorney Smies:] How do you know Chris Hartwig (Link 2)?
[Atty. Petitjean:] Counsel, we’re getting far afield.
[Attorney Smies:] Let’s go back then to this – the idea you pay cash. Are you paid wages in cash?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] No.
[Attorney Smies:] Where did you obtain the cash you have today in your wallet?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Somebody gave me cash.
[Attorney Smies:] Who gives you cash?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I have seven brothers and sisters. I have a lot of friends, a lot of them.
[Attorney Smies:] So these are birthday gifts? I don’t understand how – You solicit cash donations from friends and family?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] No.
[Attorney Smies:] Do you store – Do you have a safe in your house?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] No.
[Attorney Smies:] Do you store cash anywhere in your residence?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] No.
[Attorney Smies:] Do you store cash anywhere in an office you maintain?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] No.
[Attorney Smies:] Does your wife store cash in your house?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] She has some in her purse, I’m sure, but –
[Attorney Smies:] How often are you given cash by friends or family to meet your daily bills and other purchases that you need to make?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Weekly.
[Attorney Smies:] And how much do you receive in cash weekly from these various individuals?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I wouldn’t understand that right now. I wouldn’t know.
[Attorney Smies:] You don’t know how much you got last week?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] No. No, I wouldn’t be able to keep track of it. Maybe $1,200.
[Attorney Smies:] So you think maybe you received $1,200 in cash last week from – Who was that from?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Two brothers.
[Attorney Smies:] And which of those brothers is that?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Tim and Steve.
[Attorney Smies:] How many brothers do you have again?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Five.
[Attorney Smies:] Do Tim and Steve regularly give you cash?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] They have several times. They can only give me 10,000 in a year. It never goes over that.
[Attorney Smies:] You’re referring to the federal gift tax –
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Right.
[Attorney Smies:] – amount?
[Atty. Petitjean:] Bad news for your brothers. I think it’s 13,000 now.
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Is it? It doesn’t matter. I mean, everybody knows where I’m going and what I’m doing and –
[Attorney Smies:] Where are you going, and what are you doing?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Building Green Box. We’ll close. I just don’t know when.
[Attorney Smies:] Do your brothers expect you to repay them these cash gifts. I guess you call them gifts given the federal income tax limit.
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] They were given some shares, so they want to make sure Green Box is – for a lot of reasons. They want to clean up the environment, and they want it to do the jobs. So they have a lot of reasons to see it come through.
[Attorney Smies:] They have interest in Green Box NA, LLC, succeeding?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] No, they don’t.
[Attorney Smies:] Which Green Box entity do they have interest in?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Certain family members and certain trust for their kids are in E.A.R.T.H. [Environmental Advanced Reclamation Technology HQ, LLC].
[Attorney Smies:] I see. You have members of your family and/or their trusts that have some interest in the E.A.R.T.H. entity?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] And a lot of friends.
[Attorney Smies:] And a lot of friends?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Doc had shares in Green Box Green Bay.
[Attorney Smies:] So you think when you go to your friends and family and ask for money –
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I don’t.
[Attorney Smies:] You’ve never asked friends or family to give you cash?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I don’t.
[Attorney Smies:] Have you ever asked your friends or family to give you cash?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] No, they ask me how I’m doing, and I say, I could use a little help, but I’ll make it, and they give me a little help.
[Attorney Smies:] Do these conversations occur on a weekly basis?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] No, they stop by to see how I’m doing.
[Attorney Smies:] But earlier you said it is weekly you get cash from friends or family members.
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I have 60 different people that stop by, see how we’re doing, and put some money in my pocket.
[Atty. Petitjean:] Is 60 a hard number, or are you guessing?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] More than 60.
[Attorney Smies:] When you say –
[Atty. Petitjean:] So it’s a guess.
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] No, it’s not a guess. It’s more than 60.
[Attorney Smies:] When you say “stop by,” do they come to your residence, they come to your business?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Come to the business.
[Attorney Smies:] Do all of these people have some form of ownership interest in E.A.R.T.H. or some – one of these other entities in which you’re involved?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Most do.
[Attorney Smies:] When you’re given cash as gifts from these individuals, is it your understanding it is cash for your personal use?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] That’s why they give it to me. I have two minor children.
[Attorney Smies:] How old are your kids?
[Atty. Petitjean:] Minor children.
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] My minor children are 12.
[Attorney Smies:] Minor, okay, 12. And you have other older children?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Forty-two, 40, 38, 33, and 11 grandchildren.
[Attorney Smies:] So the oldest you said 42? …So what day of the week typically are you getting these cash gifts from friends or family?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] It’s anytime. I do a tremendous amount of services for a tremendous amount of people.
[Attorney Smies:] What do you mean by services?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I carry license, sign reports, fix any software anybody has, do anything for anybody.
[Attorney Smies:] So then are these payments compensation for your services?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Never asked for anything.
[Attorney Smies:] You said you have roughly $50 with you here today, and you said you have no cash in your house. You’re not storing cash in your house; is that correct?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Nothing right now.
[Attorney Smies:] When’s the last time you had cash in your house?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Last week.
[Attorney Smies:] How much did you have?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I don’t know. Maybe $600 on a Monday, paid a bunch of bills. Maybe $400 on Thursday. Maybe $500 more on Saturday. It depends.
[Attorney Smies:] How do you pay your bills in cash? Explain that process.
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] You go to the WPS window, and you pay a bill in cash.
[Attorney Smies:] Fair enough for that. If you have a creditor or someone else you own money to that isn’t local, do you obtain a money order or some other form of payment with your cash?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] You can go to any bank, put cash in, get a cashier’s check, and send it. Anytime, anyplace.
[Attorney Smies:] Is that what you typically do to pay your bills that you need to send away?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I can’t put it in an account because I don’t have one. I have to order it on the account or have somebody else pay the bill on my behalf, which has happened.
[Attorney Smies:] And who typically will pay bills on your behalf?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Various people.
[Attorney Smies:] Can you give me a name at least?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I’ve had Mike [Byrne] pay a WPS bill. People pay bills. Dave Williquette paid bills for me. Now, if Dave come [sic] me and said, Ron, I need a general contractor’s license in Iowa, I’d sign it for Dave. Wouldn’t charge him anything, but I’d sign it for him.
[Attorney Smies:] What authority do you have to sign a license to be a general contractor in Iowa?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I passed the test there
[Attorney Smies:] So you’re licensed in Iowa as–
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Forty-seven states as a general contractor, HVAC contractor, electrical contractor, pipe fitter, and millwright.
[Attorney Smies:] And you have licensing in 47 states?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I have 47 licenses that are from California to Florida to Maine to Washington. We don’t have license in every single state because we don’t work in every single state. I don’t work in Hawaii. I don’t work in Alaska. I don’t work in South Dakota. I don’t work in New Mexico.
[Attorney Smies:] And when you say “work,” are these construction projects you’ve overseen as a general contractor?
[Atty. Petitjean:] Are you asking is Ron overseeing this individually?
[Attorney Smies:] Yeah.
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] No, and you don’t have to. You just have to take out the license. A lot of people can’t pass tests. A lot of people can’t pass tests to be a doctor. They are not a doctor. They can’t practice.
[Attorney Smies:] But you’ve passed, it sounds like, a lot of tests.
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I’ve never failed one in my life.
[Attorney Smies:] How many have you taken?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Forty-seven.
[Attorney Smies:] Forty-seven. Is any payment required to obtain these?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Any what?
[Attorney Smies:] Is any payment required to obtain the licenses?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Yes.
[Attorney Smies:] And how do you pay for that?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] People give me cash pay, and I pay for it in cash when I’m there. It’s not a lot of money, $200, $500.
[Attorney Smies:] It adds up, though, if you have 47 of them.
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] It sure does.
[Attorney Smies:] So if on average it’s on a weekly basis you’re receiving cash, gifts from friends and family and in the last instance I think you said it was $1,200 cash gift from your two brothers; is that fair?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Went grocery shopping. had to pay for some groceries, electric bill, and a few things got paid last month. At the start of last week I mean.
[Attorney Smies:] Is that the typical amount you receive as a gift every week, $1,200?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Somebody might come by and Jim Rottier might come by and I don’t need anything. You don’t need anything? You’re doing alright? Yeah.
[Attorney Smies:] It’s always – It’s your testimony it’s always these other people asking you, taking the initiative, do you need anything. It’s never you asking anyone for cash?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I’ve made 74 people in this town millionaires.
[Attorney Smies:] How did you do that?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Gave them shares in companies I’ve owned, Vos [Electric Inc.], Spirit [Construction Services Inc.], Best Built [Inc]. All kinds of people owe what they have due to my hard work. They want to do something for me? I accept it.
Starting on page 36:
[Atty. Smies:] You live in a house; is that correct?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Yes.
[Atty. Smies:] And at one time you did own that house, didn’t you?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Yes.
[Atty. Smies:] And now it is the case that Manchester Mortgage [Company], LLC (Link 1), owns the property.
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Correct.
[Atty. Smies:] And do you pay rent then to Manchester Mortgage Company, LLC (Link 2)?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] No.
[Atty. Smies:] Do you have any kind of agreement with Manchester Mortgage Company, LLC, concerning your ability to live in the residence?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I have a handshake.
[Atty. Smies:] What’s the nature of this handshake, as you call it?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] He holds three million shares in E.A.R.T.H., and as long as I’m working for the betterment of E.A.R.T.H., I stay in the property. If the shares ever go over $6 apiece, he gives me my house title back.
[Atty. Smies:] Who is he? Who are you referring to?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Manchester Mortgage. Jim George is the president of it.
[Atty. Smies:] Does Mr. George then – Is it Manchester Mortgage Company, LLC, that has an interest in E.A.R.T.H. or Jim George?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Manchester Mortgage. They bought the note from Citizens [Bank].
[Atty. Smies:] And your agreement with Mr. George, was this reduced to writing?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] No.
[Atty. Smies:] When did you come to this agreement?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] After.
[Atty. Smies:] So after Manchester Mortgage Company, LLC, obtained – presumably foreclosed on the house, bid at the sale –
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] There were $65 million of debt against it.
[Atty. Smies:] There were $65 million of debt against your residence?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Yes.
[Atty. Smies:] And Manchester Mortgage was the senior lender, senior secured lender?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] It bought the loan from Citizens Bank, foreclosed on the first, and everybody went off the back.
[Atty. Smies:] And after they obtained the property through the process and the courts, they then had an agreement with you, just a verbal – an oral agreement essentially that you would stay there rent free as long as – Can you explain what as long as – As long as what, I guess.
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I cut the lawn, remove the snow, keep the repairs up, pay the heating and lighting bills.
[Atty. Smies:] So you’re responsible to pay the utilities for the property. Are you responsible to pay the property taxes?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Yes.
[Atty. Smies:] Have you paid any property taxes since the Manchester Mortgage Company took ownership of the property?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Yes, twice.
[Atty. Smies:] And what years was that?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] ’11 and ’12. And I personally didn’t pay them.
[Atty. Smies:] Who paid them?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Someone else. I don’t remember which person paid them each year.
[Atty. Smies:] Do you have a sense of how much – You did pay them for a number of years when you owned the house, right?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Right.
[Atty. Smies:] And do you have a sense as to how much they were then at least?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] $48,000 a year.
[Atty. Smies:] But as you sit here today, you can’t remember who was willing to pay property taxes for 2011 and 2012 for the property you’re living in?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] No. I mean, I can go find out.
[Atty. Smies:] Do you think it was a family member or friend?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Probably somebody that owed me money.
[Atty. Smies:] Was there any agreement written to reflect that payment on your behalf?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] No.
[Atty. Smies:] So –
[Atty. Petitjean:] Other than a tax receipt?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I got a receipt from the courthouse
[Atty. Smies:] So your understanding of this oral agreement you have with – between you and Manchester Mortgage Company, LLC, is that you are to maintain the property, cut the grass, plow the driveway, pay the utilities, pay the property taxes. And what else? Anything else that relates to the property?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Nothing else to the property.
[Atty. Smies:] And were there any conditions concerning your role at E.A.R.T.H. and your ability to stay in the residence?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] No. At my dad’s funeral we talked about it a long time again and perfectly comfortable. He sees the share value going up. It’s on the board.
[Atty. Smies:] So if the shares –
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Hit $6 a share, I get the title back to the house.
[Atty. Smies:] Presumably, that would allow Manchester to liquidate their shares and/or do whatever they want. That’s their decision, I guess.
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] It’s their shares.
[Atty. Smies:] How are those shares valued, if you know?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Outside firms.
[Atty. Smies:] When was the last time you had an outside firm prepare a valuation of E.A.R.T.H.?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Six months ago.
[Atty. Smies:] And what was the share price valuation at that time?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Three something, $3 and some cents.
[Atty. Smies:] And how many shares are outstanding or issued of E.A.R.T.H.?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] A hundred million.
[Atty. Smies:] I just want to know, how many shares do you own of E.A.R.T.H.?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I personally don’t own any of E.A.R.T.H.
[Atty. Smies:] It’s all through –
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] That’s correct.
[Atty. Smies:] It’s all through – I have to go back.
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] RVDH or PCDI. I personally don’t own any.
[Atty. Smies:] Indirectly through your ownership of those entities, what is your percentage of interest in E.A.R.T.H.?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I wouldn’t be able to –
[Atty. Smies:] You have no sense as –
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] No.
[Atty. Smies:] – you sit here today?
[Atty. Petitjean:] He’s already indicated he doesn’t own –
[Atty. Smies:] He doesn’t own directly, but he has an interest in entities that have a proportionate interest in –
[Atty. Petitjean:] And all those entities, he’s indicated, have numerous shareholders.
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] It would be hard to figure out.
[Atty. Smies:] But it could be figured out. I mean, you –
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Schenck could do it.
[Atty. Smies:] But as you sit here, you don’t know if you have three or other entities. You don’t know if you have one percent or 80 percent of E.A.R.T.H.?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I wouldn’t know. I mean, I know I have more than one percent, okay? But I couldn’t – I couldn’t venture a guess that would be worth putting under oath.
Page 141:
[Atty. Smies:] Do you recall stating in a hearing just few days ago on – in the divorce case?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Yes.
[Atty. Smies:] Do you recall stating you had plans to ensure that you would get $50,000 paid on that property by today, the 15th of May?
[Atty. Petitjean:] Counsel, as to his assets and his liabilities, he’s already testified as to – that he owes his wife – ex-wife money. And he’s already testified that he does not have $50,000.
[Atty. Smies:] Do you know if that’s coming from one of these friends or family members that are –
[Atty. Petitjean:] Counsel, unless it’s a– unless you’re talking about whether he has $50,000, I’m instructing him not to answer.
[Atty. Smies:] Mr. Van Den Heuvel, do you remember saying you made 74 millionaires in the Green Bay area?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] I made what?
[Atty. Smies:] Seventy-four millionaires in this area.
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] Yes.
[Atty. Smies:] Who are some of those people?
[Atty. Petitjean:] Counsel, unless it’s – it applies to Ron’s assets or liabilities, we’re just going through the phonebook again.
[Atty. Smies:] Well, I think his prior testimony was that it was these sorts of individuals that felt indebted to Mr. Van Den Heuvel and periodically offer him cash.
[Atty. Petitjean:] Do any of these people owe you money?
[Ron Van Den Heuvel:] No.
[Atty. Smies:] Why don’t we take maybe ten minutes here for a break and regroup and see where we’re at.
UPDATE:
Related documents:
- June 1, 2015 Letter from Brian Thill (of Murphy Desmond SC) to Judge Thomas Walsh re: Marco Araujo, MD, et al. v. Green Box NA Green Bay, LLC, Case No. 15-CV-769
- June 1, 2015 Letter from Valerie L. Bailey-Rihn (of Quarles & Brady LLP) to Judge Thomas Walsh re: Araujo, et al. v Green Box NA Green Bay, LLC, Case No. 15-CV-769
- April 8, 2015 Supplemental Examination of Philip J. Reinhart (68 pages, missing pg. 5-8) and related Exhibits
- September 23, 2014 Letter from Sanli Pastore & Hill Inc. to Ron Van Den Heuvel as Founder & Chair of EARTH, LLC re: Restricted Use Limited Appraisal Report Estimate of Fair Market Value of One Share of Common Stock in EARTH, LLC (Assuming at only the first six planned sites in the U.S. and one planned international site in Ghana)
- June 17, 2015 Letter from Scott Kohler & Jim Szczepanik of Silverman Consulting to Ron Van Den Heuvel re: Operating Budget for the Estate of Green Box NA Green Bay LLC
- May 20, 2015 Complaint in Brown Co. Case No. 15CV769, Dr. Marco Araujo, Cliffton Equities Inc. & Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC) v. Green Box NA Green Bay LLC
See also:
- Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin’s Business Committee Chair Cristina Danforth Files For Bankruptcy After Atty. John Petitjean Withdraws As Her Counsel [UPDATE: Oneidas Question Tina Daforth’s Honesty About How Much Jewelry She Owns] in which Tina hired Atty. John Petitjean before he finally quit due to her failure to file paperwork
