Milwaukee-area attorney Sarah E.K. Laux a/k/a ‘Sarah Kitzke’ has been sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for defrauding financial institutions and clients, money laundering, and filing a false tax return in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Laux, 35, was sentenced before Judge Charles N. Clevert, Jr. on February 2, 2016, for charges of bank fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, and tax fraud.
According to the indictment, Laux defrauded four different clients – an entity and three individuals – to whom Laux had provided trust and estates advice and to whose funds Laux gained access through her solo-practice law firm. Laux defrauded those clients out of more than $2.2 million in funds that Laux then converted to her own use.
The Court ordered Laux to pay a forfeiture of $2,072,276.48 and forfeited Laux’s interests in other properties, including her interests in her Mequon residence, another parcel of real property in Mequon, a Las Vegas timeshare property, $5,000 in currency, seven jewelry items, and two insurance businesses.
Laux also filed a materially false and fraudulent personal income tax return for tax year 2010. Laux falsely stated that her and her husband’s income for 2010 was $104,249, when in fact the amount was in excess of that amount.
The case was investigated by Special Agents of the IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Scott J. Campbell prosecuted the case.
Sarah E.K. Laux was indicted in December 2014 and pleaded guilty on October 6, 2015, to five counts of the 33-count indictment, including bank fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, and filing a false tax return.
Defendant:
Sarah E.K. Laux
Criminal Charges:
Bank fraud, Wire fraud, Mail fraud, Money laundering, Tax fraud
City and State:
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Exact Date:
February 2, 2016
Sentence or Outcome:
48 months in federal prison
Dollar Amounts:
$2,072,276.48
Related Federal Cases
- Sandra Stiner, Wire Fraud Aggravated Identity Theft, Wisconsin 2023 · Wisconsin
- David O Braeger, Wire Fraud, Bank Fraud, Mail Fraud, Unlawful Monetary Transactions, Wisconsin 2016 · Wisconsin
- Jeremy J. Fishnick, Wire Fraud, Iowa 2023 · Iowa
- Stanley P. Phillips, Wire Fraud, Alabama 2018 · Florida
- Thomas C. Balsiger, Wire Fraud, Texas 2017 · North Carolina
Key Facts
- State: Wisconsin
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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