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California Man Collects Cash For Veterans, But Fails To Deliver

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A man sold raffle tickets across the country claiming to raise money to help veterans. He brought in more than a $100,000. But WCCO learned where the money was really going, and it wasn't to veterans. And there are victims right here in Minnesota.

Brad Johnson is a constant supporter of two things:

"Military and aviation," he said.

So when he learned about Winged Warriors, he thought it was a win-win.

"I thought it was a great opportunity for the two to come together," Johnson said.

According to the group's Facebook page, Winged Warriors, based in California, claims to be a "nonprofit organization." The website says they offer flight lessons for vets.

Up until December 2013, they were selling raffle tickets to win a 1948 Cessna 140 and other small planes. WCCO teamed up with CBS Los Angeles investigative reporter David Goldstein.

He tracked down Jason Wirtzer. The licensed pilot claimed to be helping out veterans by running a charity that raffles off planes to raise money for "no-cost pilot training for active and retired military."

"We've got about 25 in the system right now," Wirtzer said.

Scott Seacrist spent $400 to support what he thought was a good cause.

"If I win the plane, great. Plus it helps the vets," Seacrist said. "Even if I don't win, somebody gets a plane but it still helps the vets."

The plane the Minnesota men hoped to win was this 1975 Beechcraft Sierra. It was for sale by Bob Hancock of Lake Havasu.

"I thought it was awesome," Hancock said. "A lot of military in my family, and I'm a flight instructor and I even volunteered to give free instruction if they wanted to come out to Lake Havasu, so I was thrilled."

He even cut the price for Wirtzer. The transaction never went through after all three Winged Warriors checks bounced. Wirtzer never owned the plane he claimed was being raffled off to raise money for vets.

A spreadsheet included in a lawsuit filed against Winged Warriors by the website designer who claims he was also stiffed shows nearly 4,500 tickets were sold across the U.S., bringing in almost $175,000.

"He's the worst scum of the earth," Hancock said. "I can't imagine anyone being worse than what he's done to these veterans."

According to California Franchise Tax Board, Winged Warriors is not recognized as a charity, and the Attorney General's Office told Goldstein it's not registered to hold raffles. But that's what Wirtzer was caught doing with another plane just a few months ago.

But when Goldstein caught up with him:

"Can you prove that you've trained 25 vets?" Goldstein asked. "You can't, can you?"

"I'd like to, I'd like to," Wirtzer said.

"You'd like to but you haven't, right?" replied Goldstein.

Johnson and Seacrist said they're disgusted a person would use veterans as a pawn.

"Yeah, I lost some money, but to me the real sad part is that the vets that were hoping to be able to get flight training or those of us that wanted to contribute for them to get flight training never got that chance," Seacrist said.

"He should be going to jail, and spend some time thinking about his actions," Johnson said.

People named as winners on the Winged Warriors Facebook page tell us they never received their prize. The Winged Warriors website has been taken down.

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