Sister of Milwaukee Fire and Police Commissioner files civil complaint, alleges her money, vehicle, and home were taken

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MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The sister of a Milwaukee Fire and Police Commissioner has filed a civil lawsuit against him and other family members, alleging they drained her life savings, took her vehicle and transferred ownership of her home without her permission. 

The commissioner named in the civil lawsuit is Dr. Fred Crouther. 

"We filed a civil lawsuit because we felt there was a wrong that needed to be corrected and my client felt she needed to have her money returned to her," said Attorney Brad Sarkauskas, who is representing Crouther's 86-year-old sister in a civil complaint against him and other family members. 

The suit alleges that Crouther and the woman's nephew, who were her power of attorneys, removed thousands of dollars from her account, including a transfer of $119,444.80, a few days after she was placed in a nursing home in October of 2016 after an injury. 

The filing also alleges her vehicle was transferred to Crouther, and then the woman's nephew, without her permission. 

Her home was also transferred to Crouther's church, The New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church, according to the filing. The filing states Crouther's sister denied that she signed the deed transferring the home, and does not have any memory of signing it. 

"My client did not give permission for these assets to be taken out of her possession when she appointed these individuals to manage her assets," said Sarkauskas. 

Sarkauskas said she does now have her home back and earlier this month, he received a check for $123,735.89 from her nephew. 

"There are still significant assets that have not been returned," said Sarkauskas. 

CBS 58 tried to track down each person named in the lawsuit to get their side of the story. 

The woman's nephew said the allegations were not true, so did Crouther when asked for comment outside of the Fire and Police Commission meeting Thursday. 

"There's no truth to any of these allegations?" He was asked. His response was, "None."

Crouther said he could not comment further because he is in the process of retaining an attorney. That attorney said she could not comment until he is officially her client. 

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