GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (From the Green Bay Press Gazette) -- Businessman Ron Van Den Heuvel, the founder of Green Box NA Green Bay LLC, his wife Kelly Van Den Heuvel, and banker Paul Piikkila all pleaded not guilty this month to charges of bank fraud in federal court.

Federal prosecutors allege Piikkila, a Horicon Bank loan officer, used his position to fraudulently provide more than $1 million in loans to the Van Den Heuvels under the names of Ron Van Den Heuvel's employees and a former relative between Jan. 17, 2008, and Sept. 25, 2009. prosecutors portrayed the employees and relative as straw borrowers who did not receive the money and were not expected to repay it.

Horicon reported losing more than $700,000 as a result of the loans.

Eastern District of Wisconsin Judge William Griesbach ordered all three defendants to surrender their passports and scheduled trials to begin July 11.

While no bond was required for Kelly Van Den Heuvel or Piikkila, U.S. Attorney Mel Johnson requested a $300,000 property bond for Ron Van Den Heuvel, saying that a number of factors about him "give the government pause" including: a warrant issued for his arrest last month in a civil case involving unpaid loans loans from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. and other lenders, his decision to file for bankruptcy for one of his companies to quash the warrant, and Van Den Heuvel's consistent over-inflation of his wealth and business interests.

Johnson said Van Den Heuvel listed more than $800 million in assets in court documents, but less than $700 in cash.

Griesbach agreed to set the property bond, until Nancy De Podesta, Van Den Heuvel's defense attorney, said he did not actually own the house in the town of Lawrence that was to be posted as bond. Wisconsin Circuit Court records indicate the house on Lost Dauphin Road was foreclosed on by Manchester Mortgage Co. in 2009.

"His financial statement listed the house as an asset with no mortgage," Johnson said.

Griesbach said he will revisit the bond issue when the case continues at 3:30 p.m. May 16.

The Van Den Heuvels and Piikkila are each charged with one count of conspiring to commit bank fraud, a charge that carries a penalty of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Ron Van Den Heuvel also is charged with seven counts of executing a bank fraud scheme and five counts of making false statements to influence a bank loan. If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison and up to $1 million in fines on each count.

Kelly Van Den Heuvel is charged with one count of executing a bank fraud scheme and one count of making false statements to influence a loan action.

Ron Van Den Heuvel's Green Box filed for bankruptcy last month.