Rob Wolchek

Last updated
Rob Wolchek
NationalityAmerican
OccupationJournalist

Rob Wolchek is an investigative reporter for WJBK-TV Fox 2 News in Detroit, Michigan. He is well known for his "Hall of Shame" segments. [1]

Contents

Career

Wolchek began his broadcasting career in 1978 as a DJ in Farmington, New Mexico at KRAZ, a country music station. He worked in radio as a disc jockey for many years before moving on to become news reporter for stations in Fresno and Bakersfield. [2]

He got his first break in television covering the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in San Francisco. His first full-time television job was at KGET-TV in Bakersfield, California. He won awards for his role as the "Scambuster" at KJEO-TV (now KGPE) in Fresno including his first Emmy. [3] He is the winner of more than 25 regional Emmy awards. [4]

Wolchek has been at WJBK television since 1997. He is known best known for his "Hall of Shame" segment and has exposed many scams and fraud. [5] One such series on fraud involved a man who was murdered after appearing in several of Wolchek's stories. [6] In 2005, he exposed a TV talent show producer that promised young models and actors prizes that didn't materialize. The producer fled Michigan after the story aired and soon surfaced in Cleveland running a similar scam. [7] In 2013, Wolchek investigated Survivor star Michael Skupin for running what appeared to be a Ponzi scheme called Pay it Forward. [8] In 2016, Skupin was convicted of Larceny by conversion and four counts of possession of Child Sexually Abusive Material when investigators found child pornography on his computer while investigating Pay it Forward. [9] He was sentenced to one to four years in state prison. [10] [11]

Chrysler Workers "Busted on the Job" story

In September 2010, Wolchek's "Busted on the Job" investigation made national and international news. [12] The story exposed several Chrysler auto workers drinking and smoking what appeared to be marijuana during their lunch break and then heading back into Detroit's Jefferson North Assembly Plant. Chrysler acknowledged the validity of the story after viewing hidden camera video and fired 13 workers shortly after the story aired. [13]

Wolchek was featured on several national news programs discussing the story, including Varney & Co., hosted by Stuart Varney on the Fox Business Network and America Live with Megyn Kelly on Fox News Channel. [14] The story was also picked up by The Drudge Report , The Wall Street Journal , The Huffington Post, and ABC, MSNBC, CBS News, among others. [15] Even comedian Jay Leno used some of the story in his monologue on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno . [16]

In July 2011, Wolchek again turned his cameras on slacking auto workers. This time, he confronted several caught drinking and smoking what appeared to be marijuana near Chrysler's Trenton Engine plant. [17] Chrysler immediately suspended nine workers without pay. [18]

Wolchek's report on Tower Defense and Aerospace made international news in November 2011. The investigation showed workers who build parts for armored vehicles like the Stryker for use in overseas military operations drinking and smoking marijuana near the plant then returning to work. The company suspended 17 workers identified in the investigative report. [19] [20]

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References

  1. ↑ "Rob Wolchek". MyFoxDetroit.com. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  2. ↑ "Rob Wolchek". MyFoxDetroit.com. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
  3. ↑ "FOX 2 Detroit". February 2022.
  4. ↑ National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences natasmichigan.org http://www.mi-nta.org/EmmyWinnerslist09.pdf Archived 2011-04-29 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ Albom, Mitch http://m.freep.com/detail.jsp?key=729606&rc=bz&full=1 "Chrysler Workers face Tale of the Tape" Detroit Free Press September 26, 2010
  6. ↑ Foley, Aaron http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2010/07/royal_oak_police_continue_inve.html Michigan Live July 15, 2010
  7. ↑ Meiser, Rebecca http://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/reality-bites/Content?oid=1493272 Cleveland Scene "Reality Bites" December 21, 2005
  8. ↑ FOX. "'Survivor' star Mike Skupin lands in the Hall of Shame". WJBK. Archived from the original on 2017-08-07. Retrieved 2018-09-18.
  9. ↑ FOX. "Former Survivor star, Hall of Shame member, Mike Skupin arrested on child porn". WJBK. Retrieved 2018-09-18.
  10. ↑ "'Survivor' contestant Michael Skupin says he is 'deeply sorry' for child porn". International Business Times AU. 2016-12-28. Retrieved 2018-09-18.
  11. ↑ "Survivor's Michael Skupin Sentenced to Prison on Child Pornography Charges". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 2018-09-18.
  12. ↑ Chapman, Mary M. Chrysler Fires Employees in Drinking Video New York Times Sept. 28, 2010
  13. ↑ Silke Carty, Sharon Chrysler Fired UAW Workers Caught Drinking, Smoking Pot USA Today Sept 27, 2010
  14. ↑ myfoxdetroit staff http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/busted-workers-wolchek-on-fox-news-20100924-wpms "Busted Workers: Wolchek on Fox News" September 24, 2010 myfoxdetroit.com
  15. ↑ http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/auto_news/buzzed-chrysler-workers-drawing-national-attention_20100924_dk "Buzzed Chrysler Workers Drawing National Attention" September 24, 2010 myfoxdetroit.com
  16. ↑ Russel, Kim http://www.connectmidmichigan.com/news/story.aspx?id=517078 "Report on Auto Workers Busted Drinking Mid-shift gets National Attention" September 25, 2010 Connect Mid Michigan NBC 25
  17. ↑ Oosting, Jonathon (19 July 2011). "Chrysler suspends nine trenton workers caught drinking, smoking during lunch break". Mlive. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
  18. ↑ "Chryslers suspends workers caught drinking on TV". Forbes. Retrieved 15 August 2011.[ dead link ]
  19. ↑ "17 Suspended From Plant That Makes Military Parts After Video Allegedly Shows Workers Drinking, Smoking Marijuana". Fox News. 28 November 2011.
  20. ↑ http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/military-parts-factory-suspends-17-workers-after-video-of-alleged-marijuana-use/story-e6frf7jx-1226208880747 [ bare URL ]
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