Packers, Favre make unclaimed property list

MADISON — The Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre are among the more notable entities on the list of unclaimed property in Wisconsin, which totals nearly $440 million.

State law requires inactive accounts held from one to more than five years to be yielded to the state if the institution can't find the owner. There is no minimum, though the state suggests a $50 lower limit.

The Wisconsin State Journal spent several hours this month searching the online database listing all the current owners of property relinquished to the state.

The newspaper found that Associated Bank, headquartered in Green Bay and a major sponsor of the Packers, apparently couldn't track down the team to return "more than $1,000" and listed the Packers' address as "unknown." It is a cashier's check for $1,410 made out to the Packers, said treasurer's office spokeswoman Cynthia Kaump.

The Packers have another $1,000-plus waiting from United Healthcare Services, which had the right address but couldn't find the professional football team, which has been located in Green Bay since 1919.

Packers spokesman Aaron Popkey said he would alert the team's finance office about the claims.

AT&T couldn't get a response from former Green Bay quarterback Favre to return the $10 to $100 and $100 to $1,000 it owes him. JP Morgan Chase Bank couldn't track down his wife, Deanna, who has $100 to $1,000 waiting.

Three of Wisconsin's nine billionaires also show up on the list.

John Menard Jr., who according to Forbes is worth an estimated $7.6 billion, has two accounts to collect, worth between $10 and $100, from General Electric. Herbert Kohler Jr., of the Kohler Co., has two, worth $10 to $100 and $100 to $1,000, according to the state database. And James Cargill II, of food company Cargill, can claim his $10 to $100.

DirectTV, Associated Bank, Verizon and Wal-Mart could not find former Packers safety Darren Sharper, of De Pere, to return his money and contents of a safe deposit box, according to the list.