“I shouldn’t have taken the money.” That’s what one woman told an Outagamie County judge about her hotel booking service in the Wisconsin Dells. Customers told Contact 6 that their accommodations were unavailable and reimbursements were difficult to obtain.
Chique Rodriguez of Racine has visited the Wisconsin Dells several times. His last trip, in December, was for a special event.
“It was for my birthday,” explained Rodriguez. “Friends, family, and everyone could come together in the Dells,” Rodriguez explained.
Rodriguez claims he discovered an amazing deal on a Wisconsin Dells Condo Deals Facebook page: $675 for three nights at Club Wyndham Glacier Canyon. He booked the accommodation over Facebook Messenger and paid for it using CashApp.
According to Rodriguez, the plan was for a spacious, four-bedroom presidential suite.
On the day of his reservation, Rodriguez claims he spoke with the front desk and made an unexpected discovery.
“There was no reservation,” explained Rodriguez. “It’s not even appropriate for condo owners to advertise on Facebook.”
Rodriguez used a Facebook page to rent out condominiums to Club Wyndham Glacier Canyon timeshare owners. It does so without Club Wyndham Glacier Canyon’s knowledge or consent. This implies that the page cannot guarantee the availability of the rooms it books.
“I was outraged. “I was almost ready to cry,” Rodriguez added.
The Better Business Bureau Serving Wisconsin (BBB) has received 65 complaints about the page’s operator, Colleen Wogernese-Jesberger, in the last three years. Wisconsin Dells Condo Deals is not the only target of criticisms. The BBB has received complaints about Wogernese-Jesberger’s other Facebook pages: Destination Vacation, Kate Deals, and Dani Deals.
“We are trying to alert as many consumers as possible about this company’s past operations,” stated Jim Temmer, President of the Better Business Bureau Serving Wisconsin. “People aren’t getting refunds, and the company is being non-communicative.”
A Facebook page dedicated to frauds in the Wisconsin Dells contains numerous accounts about Wogernese-Jesberger. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection has received 42 complaints about her vacation rentals over the last 3–4 years.
On October 8, Wogernese-Jesberger appeared in Outagamie County Court and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft and false representation in connection with her Facebook sites.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ), “DOJ’s Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting in the investigation.”
Bridget Lorenz is the focus of the Outagamie County case. Lorenz and her extended family spent an additional $1,000 for a 2024 “President’s Day Weekend” at Club Wyndham Glacier Canyon. She followed the same Wisconsin Dells Condo Deals Facebook page as Rodriguez.
Lorenz claims that two days before her travel, Wogernese-Jesberger informed her that the reservation was invalid.
“She informed us that we would receive a refund in two days. “Maybe in two weeks,” commented Lorenz. “There was always something else.” The feeling is, “Are we ever going to get our money back?”
Wogernese-Jesberger refunded Lorenz just before her punishment. Judge Mark McGinnis criticized the timeliness of her payment in court.
“It appears self-serving. It helps you.”McGinnis clarified that you were facing a challenging situation.
McGinnis asked Wogernese-Jesberger to clarify why Lorenz’s reservation was invalid. Wogernese stated that Wyndham Timeshare takes charge when rooms are unavailable.
“Wyndham changed their rules and said owners couldn’t let guests use the condos on weekends any longer,” Wogernese-Jesberger told me.
McGinnis said it sounded like she was attempting to minimize her involvement and termed the situation “troubling.”
“You didn’t make any effort to apologize,” McGinnis remarked. “I’m not sure why you lack the ability or courage to do that.”
Wogernese-Jesberger conveyed to McGinnis that she had acquired valuable knowledge. Her attorney, Amanda Skorr, stated that her client no longer books accommodations in the Wisconsin Dells and is now employed as a special education teacher.
“I feel sorry. I feel terrible because I destroyed their holiday. “That was never my intention,” stated Wogernese-Jesberger.
McGinnis pushed Wogernese-Jesberger about the lesson she had learned.
“I shouldn’t have initiated this endeavor initially,” Wogernese-Jesberger responded.
“Hold on a second,” McGinnis said. “You’re just a manipulator. You started off by saying, “Well, this is probably it.” You told me you’d learned your lesson. It should not be “probably.”
“I shouldn’t have taken the money unless I was absolutely certain they’d get a condo,” Wogernese-Jesberger said. “When I knew it wasn’t valid, I should have returned the money before anything else, including my own personal issues, bills, and finances.”
McGinnis sentenced her to 10 days in jail, followed by probation. A week later, the jail released her.
As officers booked Wogernese-Jesberger into the county prison, a DOJ agent who attended the hearing emailed the judge. In the email, he accused Wogernese-Jesberger of fraud for using a free public defender when she did not need one.
“I am aware that she earns a significant amount of money through various means,” the agent wrote. “I was surprised to learn she was being represented at public cost… I have reported fraud to the State Public Defenders office.
Pierce County charged Wogernese-Jesberger with a second misdemeanor theft-false representation on October 1. According to the criminal complaint, a woman paid $850 for a room with Wisconsin Dells Condo Deals. Nine days before her arrival, the resort informed her that there was “no reservation for her.”
The woman demanded a refund but stated that she had not received one.
Rodriguez claims he’s been waiting for his return for ten months. He booked a smaller room in Wisconsin Dells for his birthday weekend.
“I couldn’t even enjoy my time up there. “I was just thinking about the money I lost,” Rodriguez explained. “I’m glad it’s coming to light and justice is catching her.”
Wogernese-Jesberger previously lived in Appleton before moving to Grayslake, Illinois.
Club Wyndham Glacier Canyon is part of Travel + Leisure. In 2023, a representative for Contact 6 stated: “People doing business with any online websites should ensure the party they’re purchasing from has the ability to facilitate the transaction and will guarantee the consumer gets what they paid for.”
Club Wyndham Glacier Canyon is located in the Wisconsin Dells, next to the Glacier Canyon Lodge at the Wilderness Resort. Visitors to Glacier Canyon have access to the services of Wildness Resort, including its waterparks, yet the two operate independently.
