Former Wilson Trophy Executive Charged with Wire Fraud in Alleged $2.3M Theft; Separate Civil Action Targets Competing Business Alps Awards LLC
SACRAMENTO, CA, UNITED STATES, September 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Wilson Trophy Company today acknowledged the federal wire fraud charge filed against its former Vice President and Executive Manager Christopher William Edward Abplanalp, 38, of Roseville, in connection with an alleged scheme to steal more than $2.3 million from Wilson Trophy.
The charge, filed September 2 in United States v. Christopher William Edward Abplanalp, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, Case No. 2:26-cr-00156-DAD, followed an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from IRS Criminal Investigation.
According to federal court documents, between February 2023 and July 2025, Abplanalp allegedly used his executive position to divert more than $2.3 million in company funds, the majority of which he allegedly spent gambling. Prosecutors allege he diverted funds from Wilson Trophy’s online payment-processing account to his personal account and to friends or acquaintances.
The government further alleges that between late May and early July 2025, Abplanalp ran a Wilson Trophy client’s credit card 52 times for items the client never ordered and invoices that did not exist, causing Wilson Trophy to improperly receive more than $643,000, which Abplanalp then allegedly transferred to his personal account.
Prosecutors also allege Abplanalp directed client payments and vendor refunds to himself and altered, deleted or made false entries in Wilson Trophy’s accounting software to conceal the alleged theft.
Abplanalp is scheduled for arraignment September 8 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremy D. Peterson. If convicted, he faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, fines, restitution and forfeiture. The charge is an allegation; Abplanalp is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
“The conduct alleged has caused profound financial and personal harm to Wilson Trophy, our family, our employees and the business we have spent generations building,” said Jesse Loomis, Chief Administrative Officer of Wilson Trophy. “We are deeply grateful to the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation and U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work investigating this matter.”
Wilson Trophy reported the financial irregularities to federal law enforcement and has cooperated throughout the investigation. The company has also made whole every customer who suffered a loss as a result of the conduct alleged in the criminal information, absorbing those losses itself.
Separate Civil Action Involving Alps Awards LLC
The federal prosecution is separate from a Sacramento County Superior Court civil action Wilson Trophy filed against Christopher Abplanalp, Holly Lynn Abplanalp (also known as Holly Lynn Reed), and Alps Awards LLC, Case No. 26CV008378.
Christopher and Holly Abplanalp, who are married, each worked for Wilson Trophy for approximately two decades before resigning in July 2025. Christopher served as Vice President and Executive Manager; Holly served as bookkeeper with controller-level access to financial records. The domain alpsawards.com was registered shortly thereafter their resignations and Alps Awards LLC, a competing recognition-products business, was organized the following months with Christopher as its organizer and manager.
Wilson Trophy’s verified complaint alleges the former employees took and subsequently used confidential customer sales data and proprietary manufacturing information in connection with Alps Awards.
On June 16, 2026, the court granted Wilson Trophy a Temporary Restraining Order, finding on the showing before it that Wilson demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits, faced irreparable injury and that the balance of equities favored temporary relief. The order restricts defendants from using or disclosing Wilson Trophy’s confidential and trade-secret information and requires preservation of relevant evidence. The civil allegations have not been fully adjudicated, and defendants are entitled to contest them.
“The federal prosecution and our civil case involve separate legal issues, but both have required Wilson Trophy to take significant steps to protect the company, our customers and the work product our employees have spent decades developing,” Mrs. Loomis said.
About Wilson Trophy
Wilson Trophy has sold trophies, awards, plaques, medals and related recognition products since 1955 and has operated as Wilson Trophy Company of California, Inc. since 1971. The Sacramento-based, family-owned business serves customers throughout the United States and provides employment to nearly 20 local families.
Wilson Trophy remains fully operational and has strengthened financial controls, information-security practices and internal procedures in response to the federal investigation and civil litigation.
Jesse Loomis
Wilson Trophy Company
+1 916-927-9733
jloomis@wilsontrophy.com
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