Former Eagle Creek golf director makes first appearance in Kandiyohi County District Court

Dale Morin, West Central Tribune, Willmar, Minn.
·2 min read

Jan. 18—WILLMAR

— A former golf director alleged to have stolen nearly $28,000 made his first appearance via Zoom Wednesday in Kandiyohi County District Court.

Joseph John Wisocki IV, 56, of Eveleth, appeared alongside his attorney, Stephen M Foertsch, at Wednesday's virtual hearing. Judge Jennifer Fischer read to Wisocki that he was being charged with five counts of felony theft by swindle.

Wisocki remained silent as Foertsch and Kandiyohi County Attorney Shane Baker hashed out an uncontested agreement on the conditions of Wisocki's release pending his next remote hearing, currently scheduled for March 19, 2024.

Judge Fischer ordered Wisocki to be summoned for booking at the Kandiyohi County Courthouse at an undetermined time on or before Jan. 31, 2024.

Conditions for Wisocki's release include being barred from the

Eagle Creek Golf Club

and its restaurant on the property. He also is not allowed to handle money for anyone except himself, his spouse or dependents, and he may not any work or job that requires him to handle other people's finances.

Wisocki served as Eagle Creek's director of golf from February 2019 until he was fired for poor performance. His last day of employment was listed as Jan. 3, 2023. According to court records, it was only after Wisocki was fired that the club found suspicious transactions taken out by Wisocki, despite the fact he allegedly asked if the club had found any financial discrepancies shortly after he was fired.

County attorneys allege Wisocki presented financial information misrepresenting the golf club's financial situation, which the board thought was fine at first as the reports Wisocki presented showed sales were up. However, the board of directors soon became unhappy with the club's financial performance after they felt it should have been more profitable. Wisocki blamed the poor finances on inflation, food and labor prices.

According to the filed complaint, the club board also found that a credit card had been issued in the club's name but was never reported to the board, and it was never disclosed on any of the financial statements.

Wisocki allegedly used the credit card to make unrelated purchases, including transactions from hockey retailers and organizations, sunglasses retailers, and others. One of those transactions included a payment to a hockey organization for tournament fees while Wisocki served as board member and tournament coordinator for the

Willmar Hockey Association.

Wisocki was recently put on unpaid administrative leave as general manager of the

The Wilderness

at

Fortune Bay Resort

in Tower, Minnesota. The Bois Forte Tribal council decided to suspend Wisocki in a unanimous 4-0 vote during a special meeting on Dec. 18, 2023, after learning of the charges filed against him in Kandiyohi County.