According to FOX 11 News, a former staffer in Brown County’s Veterans Service Office is facing seven criminal charges after investigators say he misused county funds, forged a utility bill in a veteran’s name, and altered records to hide the transactions. Matthew Franklin, 48, is charged with theft in a business setting, misconduct in office, four counts of forgery, and one count of misappropriating identifying information.
According to WTAQ, Franklin had worked in the Veterans Service Office since 2016. The criminal complaint describes him as the interim director at the time the investigation began, though Brown County said Monday that his title was actually assistant veterans service officer, not interim director — a discrepancy that has not been resolved.
The case traces back to a car rental charged to a county purchase card in September 2024, the first transaction that drew scrutiny. Franklin claimed the rental car company had mistakenly charged the county instead of his personal account, but the company disputed that explanation. The funds for the rental were eventually repaid, per the same account.
Fake Utility Bill Allegedly Used to Cover Tracks
Investigators allege Franklin went on to use the county card to make five utility payments to Wisconsin Public Service. He admitted to altering records so the county would not know the transactions had taken place, the station's report states.
Franklin also admitted to creating a fake Wisconsin Public Service bill using a veteran’s name and address, making it appear his purchase-card charge had gone toward paying that veteran’s power bill. He then submitted the fabricated document to Brown County as verification for the transaction. The complaint states that the person whose identity was used did not give permission and did not know Franklin had used their name.
Timeline and Upcoming Court Date
As reported by FOX 11 News, Franklin’s last day of employment with Brown County was July 15, 2025, and his initial appearance in the case is scheduled for Dec. 2.
The evidence reviewed in the matter does not establish the dollar amounts or exact dates of the utility payments, nor the total alleged loss to the county. Franklin’s plea and the current status of the case have also not been established in the reporting so far.
