Suspended attorney faces 5 years in prison

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A suspended Milwaukee attorney allegedly lied to a federal agent about his knowledge of arson at a business in Brown County and now faces up to five years in prison.

Harvey Goldstein was questioned in August 2013 by an agent from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives about his knowledge of a December 2010 fire that destroyed a Quonset hut in Denmark that housed Cronos Global LLC. According to a bill of information filed Wednesday by a prosecutor, Goldstein “falsely denied knowing about the arson” and has been charged with “knowingly and willfully making a materially false, fictitious and fraudulent statement.”

Prosecutors also allege Goldstein was in business with Cronos’ owner, Mathew Lemberger, who intentionally set the fire in December 2010 to collect on an insurance policy. In July 2013, Lemberger was sentenced to 10 years in prison for arson. Two other defendants also were sent to prison for their involvement.

An arraignment date has not yet been set in Goldstein’s case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Roach said Friday that Goldstein’s charge or involvement with Lemberger does not stem from any legal work. He said he expects more about the case to emerge after the arraignment, but wouldn’t elaborate.

Goldstein graduated from Marquette University Law School in 1977. His license was suspended for two years in 2010 for misuse of $70,000 from three probate estates. His license remains suspended.

Goldstein’s attorney, Martin Kohler of Kohler & Hart SC, Milwaukee, had no comment when reached Friday.

Lemberger also was charged with murder for hire for allegedly saying he would help kill the wife of a business associate, who also was a confidential informant for the government, which would act as repayment of some equipment Lemberger sold without permission. Lemberger also was charged for allegedly burning down his house in 2009, which was believed to be another attempt at collecting on an insurance policy. Per a plea agreement, both of those charges were dropped. Follow @eheisigWLJ