March 29, 2024
Crime & Courts | Daily Chronicle


Crime & Courts

Former DeKalb Alderman Marquardt charged with theft, forgery, released on bond

Prosecutors: Ex-alderman signed club president’s name, pocketed $9.5K

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DeKALB – Former 3rd Ward Alderman Michael Marquardt is facing criminal charges alleging that he stole money from his employer, Kishwaukee Country Club.

According to a news release sent Friday by the DeKalb County State's Attorney's Office, Marquardt, 50, of the
500 block of North Sixth Street, was the subject of an investigation by the DeKalb Police Department.

Marquardt is charged with seven counts of forgery and one count of theft. If convicted, he could face probation or two to five years in prison. If he’s convicted on multiple counts, the sentences will be served concurrently, rather than consecutively, State’s Attorney Rick Amato said.

Amato said Marquardt turned himself in at the DeKalb Police Station,
700 W. Lincoln Highway, on Friday afternoon, posted $500 bail and was released. He's due in court at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 9.

“I am disappointed that I had to accept Alderman Marquardt’s resignation several weeks ago, and I’m disappointed by what I read [Friday] in the [news] release,” DeKalb Mayor Jerry Smith said.

Interim City Manager Raymond Munch said he has no concerns about city funds while Marquardt served as an alderman.

“What I can unequivocally say is that our aldermen, our elected officials, don’t have any direct access to city finances,” Munch said Friday. “So while they make decisions that impact city finances, they have no direct control or authorization over city finances. This is an incident that is not related to city business.”

Court records show DeKalb County prosecutors allege that between December 2017 and November 2018, Marquardt wrote seven checks from the country club to himself totaling $9,500. The records allege Marquardt signed club President Stephen Irving's name on the checks. According to charging documents, Marquardt wrote checks in the following amounts: $3,000 dated Dec. 26, 2017, $2,000 Jan. 22, $1,000
June 6, $2,000 Sept. 5, $750 Nov. 21, $250 Nov. 26 and $500 Nov. 28.

Irving told police an internal investigation was started after Resource Bank warned him of suspicious, large amounts of money being transferred among the country club’s bank accounts, according to the court records. Prosecutors said Marquardt used the money for personal reasons.

Until recently, Marquardt had worked as the business manager at the country club, 1901 Sycamore Road. He resigned from the council and left his job at the club earlier this month.

On Friday, Chief Judge Robbin Stuckert signed a warrant for Marquardt’s arrest and set his bond at $5,000, according to the release.

DeKalb Police Chief Gene Lowery referred a request for comment to the the state’s attorney’s office because the case involved a former City Council member.

In the past six years, Marquardt has been a defendant in several cases in DeKalb County court brought by creditors, including foreclosure cases against his home and another property he owns in the city.

Since he was elected to the council in April 2015, he has been a defendant in three different small claims cases brought by collection agencies seeking payment of debts of less than $2,000 each. The most recent of those cases was closed in August 2017, according to DeKalb County Court records.

Another case, brought in 2016 against Marquardt by Discover Bank – which issues the Discover credit card – sought payment of almost $15,000 in unpaid credit-card debt, records show. The unpaid amount increased to almost $16,600 in 2017, with a judge in July 2017 ordering garnishment of Marquardt’s wages to repay the debt, records show.

In 2013, lenders initiated foreclosure proceedings against Marquardt for properties he and his wife own in DeKalb, including their home on South Sixth Street, and another property on Home Drive. The Marquardts still are listed as owners of both properties in county records.

Smith said he is "heartened" by the fact that three people have filed to run for the 3rd Ward seat. Smith said he soon will name a replacement to serve the remainder of Marquardt's term. The appointed person is not included in the candidates running for the 3rd Ward seat.

• Daily Chronicle Editor Christopher Heimerman and reporter Katie Finlon contributed to this story.

Kelsey Rettke

Kelsey Rettke

Kelsey Rettke is the editor of the Daily Chronicle, part of Shaw Media and DeKalb County's only daily newspaper devoted to local news, crime and courts, government, business, sports and community coverage. Kelsey also covers breaking news for Shaw Media Local News Network.