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Suspended lawyer pleads not guilty to embezzlement, forgery

By: Erika Strebel, [email protected]//November 20, 2017//

Suspended lawyer pleads not guilty to embezzlement, forgery

By: Erika Strebel, [email protected]//November 20, 2017//

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A suspended Waukesha County lawyer accused of embezzlement and forgery appeared for the second time in court on Monday.

The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office charged Matthew MacLean, of Hartland, in October with one count of embezzlement of more than $10,000 and one count of forgery. Both are felonies.

The charges arise from the years MacLean was general counsel and chief compliance officer for Red Granite Advisors and Ziegler Lotsoff Capital Management, which rented space from MacLean’s former employer, Michael Best & Friedrich.

MacLean was found to have diverted thousands from the companies, some of it meant to pay Michael Best. Much of the money was channeled to a limited liability company, BrickStix, which he had opened for his son.

The law firm reported him to the Office of Lawyer Regulation. Red Granite filed a complaint in 2014 with the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s.

The Wisconsin Supreme court suspended MacLean’s license in 2016 for two years. However, according to the criminal complaint, an investigation by the Milwaukee DA’s office uncovered that he had embezzled an additional $161,132.42 from the company and forged documents in order to do so.

MacLean pleaded not guilty to both charges on Monday. He appeared before Judicial Court Commissioner J.C. Moore with his lawyer, Michael Hart of Kohler Hart Powell, Milwaukee. The state was represented by Assistant District Attorney Kurt Benkley.

MacLean also waived his right to a preliminary hearing, conceding that the state had established probable cause to support the charges.

Both MacLean and Hart declined to comment on the case.

MacLean’s next court appearance is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Dec. 11 before Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Joseph Wall.

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