02/22/2026
Books & Bottles Update! Join us every Tuesday night through May from 6-9pm to enjoy lively conversations about your favorite books and take advantage of our book exchange all while enjoying a beverage at The Thirsty Badger. Our next featured local author on March 3rd is Pat Dougherty to talk about his book "Wolves in Sheep's Clothing".
We've all heard of Ponzi schemes, but what happens when you're the victim of one?
After a 30-year career with the 3M Company, Pat Dougherty retired on December 1, 2022. Prior to retiring, he invested in a clean energy company called Rhino Onward International (ROI) that claimed to be seeking investors to fund a clean energy hydrogen plant in Arizona. Having friends in management positions with ROI, Dougherty considered it to be a secure investment, but that trust was soon to be shattered!
In the fall of 2023, ROI shut its doors, and it was revealed that the two founders had been skimming money from ROI to pay off other business ventures, other investments, and to fund their lavish lifestyles. And as more information came to light, it was revealed that their scam involved roughly 250 investors to the tune of close to $46M. Having personally lost a good chunk of his retirement savings, Dougherty decided to tell his story and expose these two for the Con Artists they are!
In Wolves in Sheep's Clothing, Dougherty chronicles his ordeal from the time of his initial investment to the revelation of the scam. Relating his experiences and utilizing his digital communication with the company's two founders, Dougherty exposes the depth of their lies and deception. Offering readers a unique look at the inner workings of a Ponzi scheme, Dougherty's firsthand account is a stark reminder that if an investment opportunity looks too good to be true, then it probably is.
Dougherty grew up in Ellsworth, WI, and graduated from Ellsworth High School in 1978. After living and working in the Cities and Red Wing for a few years, he married and eventually relocated to Cannon Falls, MN, where he raised his two children, served nine years on the Cannon Falls School Board, served as the Board Representative to the Cannon Falls Education Foundation, and was active in youth sports. He also worked in the area as a bartender and DJ, performing over 2000 shows in 35 years. He has five grandchildren, is semi-retired, and now lives in Hudson WI.
