Crime & Safety
Bayside Attorney Accused of Stealing $700,000 From Milwaukee Law Firm
Suspect allegedly transferred checks meant for vendors to a personal bank account during a two-year period of working at Eisenberg, Riley & Zimmerman, S.C.
A 37-year-old Bayside attorney is facing charges after he allegedly stole more than $700,000 from a Milwaukee law firm while he was employed as an attorney there.
Brian P. Mularski was charged in Milwaukee County Circuit Court Wednesday with two counts of embezzlement of more than $10,000. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison and $50,000 in fines.
According to the criminal complaint:
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Mularski was employed as an attorney at Eisenberg, Riley & Zimmerman, S.C. and between March 2006 and January 2009, he stole $737,172 from the firm by depositing checks meant for vendors into his personal bank account.
In January 2006, Mularski opened up a bank account in the name Mularski Law Office and began depositing checks into the account meant for vendors. He took about $179,000 by the end of the year.
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In 2007 he deposited 85 checks from the law firm into the account and collected $240,000 that year. He also wrote out four other checks that year from the firm for personal use, making a total loss to the business at nearly $255,000 for the year.
In 2008, Mularski deposited another 70 checks to the account for a total loss of $291,847 that year.
The theft came to light after the firm’s office manager was contacted by insurance companies while Mularski was on vacation, saying they never received payments. The manager traced the missing money back to Mularski, who was confronted when he returned to work. He said he wasn’t sure why the money was deposited into his account and would look into the matter.
When the office manager didn’t receive a proper explanation about the mix up from Mularski, he informed the firm’s leadership.
When confronted about the theft, Mularski immediately repaid the firm $238,136, but as of Wednesday still owes $439,045 to repay the theft in full.
Representatives from the law firm said they’ve retained counsel in the case and will not be able to comment at this time. Patch was unable to reach Mularski, who is listed on the Wisconsin Bar Association’s website as a 2000 graduate of Marquette University Law School and currently has his law license revoked.
He will make his initial appearance in court Thursday.
