The Milwaukee Brewers and the Brewers Community Foundation say the vendor responsible for managing websites and collecting registration and fundraising money for a series of charitable events has refused to turn over nearly $204,000 raised last year.
The two organizations filed a lawsuit last week against Florida-based Forte Interactive and The Achieve Agency alleging the company, which does business as RacePartner, had not turned over all of the money raised by the Brewers Mini-Marathon, 5K Famous Racing Sausage Run/Walk and Hitting 4 the Cycle bike race held in 2017.
According to the complaint, The Brewers had worked with RacePartner for several years before 2017. The company was responsible for managing event websites and collecting registration, fundraising and other money for the three events and was supposed to turn over the money after collecting a “small” administrative fee.
The complaint says RacePartner did provide $56,336 by August of last year for the Mini-Marathon, along with $34,398 from the 5K and $1,800 from the bike race.
RacePartner, however, allegedly has not given the team and its foundation $142,833 from the Mini-Marathon, $48,242 from the 5K and $12,850 from the bike race. The complaint says RacePartner’s own website, which the team and foundation have access to, shows the organizations are still owed money.
A Brewers spokesman declined to comment on the case and Achieve Agency executives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Brewers and the foundation are seeking the nearly $204,000, plus interest, punitive damages, costs and other fees for attorneys. No hearings have been scheduled in the case as of Tuesday morning, according to court records.
