Complaint: Donations from Former Waukesha County Judge Stolen

A local appeals court judge and Iraq veteran is one of the victims of an alleged embezzlement scheme that diverted funds meant to help war veterans, according to a court document filed Thursday in Milwaukee County Circuit Court.

Nearly $5,000 donated to the Military Order of the Purple Heart by Court of Appeals Judge Mark Gundrum never made it to the veterans and their families, according to a  Gundrum took a leave of absence from the state Assembly when he was a representative to serve in Iraq.

The alleged embezzlement was uncovered during a Milwaukee County John Doe investigation into Gov. Scott Walker's staffers, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“My wife and I are just saddened that at least a portion of the money we donated to aid veterans wounded in war appears as if it may never have been used for that purpose,” Gundrum told Waukesha Patch. Gundrum donated more than $28,000 of his legislative pay to the organization, according to a criminal complaint filed in Milwaukee County.

Kevin D. Kavanaugh, 61, of Cudahy, is accused of taking nearly $5,000 donated by Gundrum, who has served the country in Iraq. Kavanaugh faces five felony charges accusing him of stealing more than $40,000.

Two other people were charged in the investigation, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

• Tim Russell, who was a former "top aide to Gov. Scott Walker" according the newspaper, faces charges of embezzlement for money that went missing from a military appreciation event at the Milwaukee County Zoo, which took place when Walker was Milwaukee County Executive. According to the JS, the criminal complaint says Russell diverted "more than $21,000 intended for Operation Freedom" to his personal bank account, and used "some of those dollars to go on Hawaiian and Caribbean vacations with his domestic partner."
• Brian Pierick was charged in with two felony child sex crimes. Pierick worked as an office operations assistant for homeless youth, the JS reported; he is being let go from that position.

Meanwhile, Walker provided this statement to the media about the allegations:

“My chief of staff at Milwaukee County, Tom Nardelli, brought to my attention concerns about a local veterans organization and funds collected several years ago for an event honoring veterans. Mr. Nardelli, with my support, asked the Milwaukee County District Attorney to investigate those concerns.  We appreciate learning that the District Attorney's office investigated those concerns.”