Guide steals $600k from clients
‘He ripped a lot of people off’: Hunting guide accused of defrauding over $660K from customers
Michigan resident Donald Lauscher recounts how he was defrauded by a man of thousands of dollars in promised hunting trips that never happened. (Source: KTUU)
By Joey Klecka
Published: Sep. 2, 2025 at 3:42 PM EDT
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU/Gray News) - A man is being sued by the State of Alaska for allegedly defrauding customers of his big game hunting service in rural Alaska.
The Department of Law says 48-year-old Clint Miller, who operates Alaska Wilderness Outfitter out of Holy Cross — a small town of less than 200 people about 117 miles northeast of Bethel — allegedly took payments from clients to take them on backcountry moose hunting trips, but canceled many at the last moment and never refunded them.
The state alleges that Miller defrauded more than $660,000 in payments that he never refunded from 2019 to 2024.
Michigan resident Donald Lauscher is one of the plaintiffs listed on the lawsuit. In an interview with KTUU, Lauscher claims he lost $24,500 in money paid to Miller, but added that the total cost — including canceled flights and other costs — comes out to no less than $35,000.
Lauscher recounted how he was defrauded by Miller of thousands of dollars in promised hunting trips that he never delivered on over the course of four straight years.
“I was a factory worker my whole life, and this is a one-time thing for me,” Lauscher said. “I don’t have a lot of money, and I saved most of my life for this hunt of a lifetime, so to speak.”
A resident of Cornell, Michigan, Lauscher said his big trip to Alaska was supposed to take him to Holy Cross, where Miller was going to take him and a few other hunters up the Yukon River.
Lauscher said that over the course of multiple hunting seasons, he booked trips with Alaska Wilderness Outfitter that were delayed and ultimately canceled just days from the start, due to what Lauscher said were supposed problems with bad weather and a lack of gear and fuel to get out to remote areas.
He continued to stay booked with Miller’s company because of the rare opportunity he would receive, adding that Miller even promised to pay for Lauscher’s state hunting license and the flight to get him up to Alaska.
For his 2024 trip, Lauscher said Miller backed out yet again, this time three days before the planned start.
“He calls again and says he can’t make it happen, he can’t get any fuel from the locals in Holy Cross, and blah blah blah,” Lauscher said. “I just said I’m totally done, and if I don’t get my money back in the next 30 days, then a lawsuit is coming your way.”
Lauscher said he did not hear from Miller after that.
The lawsuit claims that Miller also subjected the few clients he did actually take on trips to “dangerous” conditions, including going out without enough fuel or insufficient guide service.
The suit also claims that of the 32 customers Miller took payment from for the 2023 and 2024 hunting seasons, only two ever stepped foot on legal hunting lands in the state, and none of his clients had killed a moose since 2021.
Miller typically charged between $12,500 and $24,500 per customer, according to the suit.
“Many dream, save and plan for years to go on a big game hunting trip of a lifetime in Alaska, yet for most of Miller’s clients, those plans and dreams ended in disappointment and considerable financial loss after last-minute cancellations without refunds,” assistant Attorney General Helen Mendolia said in a prepared statement. “Clearly this is an unacceptable business practice and a huge disservice to all of the reputable hunting guides who are unfairly tainted by Miller’s actions.”
Lauscher said he would be happy to walk away with the $24,500 he paid just in licensing fees and trip costs to Miller.
“He’s just a ruthless — no remorse — individual who just ripped a lot of people off, hard-working people like myself," Lauscher said. “It’s really, really sad, and hopefully he’ll get what he has coming to him now.”
He also said he still holds his dream to travel to Alaska to hunt.
“I’m good friends with four or five of the people who also got ripped off by him ... and that’s our plan, if we do get some of our money back,” Lauscher said. “We would love to all get together and do this hunt. I would absolutely love to come to Alaska at some point, because I’m 70 years old now, and the ruler’s getting a little short now.”
Palmer Superior Court Judge Jonathan Woodman issued the temporary restraining order against Miller on a complaint by the Department of Law’s Consumer Protection Unit.
The restraining order, the department says, will prevent Miller from taking new payments from customers and requires him to ultimately pay restitution to clients who submitted complaints.
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Originally Posted by Glenn
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