Feds: Racine law office employee defrauded estate beneficiaries

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A Racine woman has been indicted for defrauding the beneficiaries of some of the estates her employer was handling.

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District Matthew Krueger announced Wednesday that a federal grand jury indicted Kathleen Fetek, 55, on Tuesday for defrauding the beneficiaries of various estates while she was working as an hourly employee at her now-deceased father’s law firm, Fetek Law Office out of Racine.

The indictment alleges that, from 2014 to January 2017, Fetek wrote checks to herself from the law firm’s account, cashed the checks at banks, liquor stores and other places and sent false account and distribution information to estate beneficiaries. Fetek took more than $775,000 from about 25 estates, according to prosecutors.

Fetek faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. She also faces up to three years of supervised release after any time in prison and could be ordered to pay restitution.

Fetek is represented by Associate Federal Defender John Campion, according to court records. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Frohling is prosecuting the case. Follow @erikastrebel