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Solar installation company founders charged with theft
Dane County prosecutors charged Sun Badger Solar founders Trevor Sumner and Kristopher Sipe after customers reported paying thousands for unfinished solar panel projects.
DANE COUNTY, Wis. - Two founders of Waukesha-based Sun Badger Solar are facing felony charges in Dane County after customers reported losing thousands of dollars for solar panel projects that were never completed.
What we know:
Dane County prosecutors charged Trevor Sumner and Kristopher Sipe on March 17 with multiple felony counts of theft by a contractor between $10,000 and $100,000.
The charges come after Contact 6 investigations dating back to 2024, when multiple customers reached out saying they had paid thousands of dollars but never received completed work.
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Sun Badger Solar closed in 2023, leaving customers on the hook for solar panels that were never finished or installed.
In 2024, the Minnesota attorney general prohibited Sumner and Sipe from doing business in the state, saying the company they worked for at the time, Able Energy, swindled more than $1 million from customers for uncompleted work.
Dig deeper:
Dane County prosecutors list multiple victims, including a restaurant supply company that paid nearly $50,000 to Sun Badger Solar in 2022. Prosecutors said no materials were ever delivered.
Investigators said a Dane County couple also lost nearly $11,500 in 2022 after making a down payment for solar panels they never received. The couple could not reach the company despite multiple emails, letters and phone calls.
Prosecutors accuse Sipe of using some of the funds for personal expenses, including luxury hotels, spas and massages.
Local perspective:
"Even if I don’t get any money back – let’s put these people in jail," said Paul Carter, of Milwaukee.
Carter said he understands the frustration. In 2023, he paid Sun Badger Solar $18,000 and never had any services completed.
"Never saw a cent of it back," Carter said.
Carter was among more than 140 creditors listed in a court filing with the Sun Badger receiver. Receivership is an alternative to bankruptcy.
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"I think this should be pursued to whatever ends it needs to be," Carter said.
Carter ended up using a different company for his solar panels. Even though the charges were filed in Dane County, he said he hopes the investigation keeps gaining energy.
What's next:
If convicted, Sumner and Sipe could face up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $50,000.
Sipe is scheduled to be in court next week. Bond for Sipe and Sumner was set at $500 per case, totaling about $2,000 each.
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The Source: Information in this report is from the Dane County District Attorney's Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court.