Joel and Holly Shere, owners of Evangers Pet Food Company, have been accused of stealing gas and electric from Commonweath Edison and Nicor according to Cook County state attorney’s office.
From ChicagoBreakingNews.com: “Joel Shere, 54, and his wife Holly, 52, own Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food company. For the last several years, investigators have been looking into whether the couple had been stealing from Commonwealth Edison and Nicor, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.”
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/03/pet-food-firm-owners-accused-of-stealing-2m-in-eletricity-gas.html
Per the above website, the Sheres “not only tampered with a Nicor meter but built a separate pipe to divert the flow of gas prior to reaching the meter.” “A two-way valve was inserted so that the gas flow could be redirected to the meter when inspections occurred by Nicor.”
The Evangers Pet Food owners also are accused of tapping into main power lines. “Wires and fuses were attached to the high-voltage wires and then connected to the electric supply insisted the defendant’s company,” prosecutors said.
A former worker for the pet food company alerted Nicor in December 2008; a company worker told ComEd of the tapping of electricity in September 2009.
The Chicago Sun Times reports that The Sher’s “toyed with their gas meter to prevent it from recording how much gas they actually used and also constructed a separate underground pipe to diver the flow of gas before it reached the meter the their Wheeling-based Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food company, Assistant State’s Attorney Robert Podlasek said.”
The Chicago Sun Times reports that the owners of Evangers Pet Food Company would enlist employees to “help with the scam”. Employees allegedly were supplied with a tool to help roll back gas meters, instructed to use a jackhammer to dig through concrete and asphalt to diver the gas line, and asked to remove illegal wires and fuses prior to a ComEd inspection.
State attorney investigators have seized $2.3 million from the Shers as part of the probe.
http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/television/2121067,pet-food-energy-scheme-032410.article
Bail was set at $250,000 for Joel Shere and $200,000 for Holly Shere in a hearing today (March 24, 2010). “If Holly Shere is released on bail, she will be allowed to travel to Orlando, FL for a trade show, and to Los Angeles for a Seder celebration for cats and dogs, according to the conditions of bail.”
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author, Buyer Beware
Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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