LA man arrested for owing almost $250K in child support in Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE -- 48-year-old Raul Cardona is charged with four counts of Failure to Support for allegedly not paying child support for his child born in 1993.

The criminal complaint says Cardona owes $248,666 in child support to the mother of his child. Court documents say since being ordered to pay child support in 1994, Cardona has only paid $424.38.

According to Milwaukee County officials Cardona was arrested at a country club in Los Angeles. Milwaukee County investigators traveled to conducted surveillance on Caronda. Investigators saw Cardona leave his residence driving a Mercedes-Benz, and report to work at a Los Angeles country club. LAPD arrested Cardona at the country club. He will be extradited back to Wisconsin to face criminal charges.

Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm says fleeing the state is a common tactic for fathers looking to escape the child support system.

Officials did confirm Cardona's Facebook account played a role in collecting evidence in this case. His social media accounts were used to find his place of residence and what kind of assets he possessed. 

Investigators have been using social media to catch deadbeat dads for years. Check out this CBS58 report from 2013.

Cardona calls himself an international celebrity trainer on his professional Facebook page titled \"Zero to Hero\"

During a news conference Milwaukee County officials say of that $248,666 owed in child support about $125,000 is interest and about $130,000 is actually owed to the mother.

County officials say there are 126,000 child support cases being handled as of August 2014. Only a small percentage of those cases actually result in criminal charges. We're told the county usually only charges the parents who can afford to pay child support, but choose not to pay.