‘It Just Got Out of Control’

MILWAUKEE (CN) - The manager of a popular kitchen equipment store embezzled $600,000, and when her bosses confronted her, she said, "It just got out of control," Wisconsin Kitchen Mart claims in Milwaukee County Court.

Kitchen Mart is a well-known Milwaukee fixture that was established in 1951. It claims that Mary Radiske took advantage of her access to company accounts while verifying and processing accounts payable invoices.

She started writing checks to herself, her husband and others around 2005, according to the complaint. As time passed, she became bolder and forged checks, then hid her embezzlement by altering paperwork, Kitchen Mart says.

The store says it discovered the scam this week, and when confronted, Radiske said, "It just got out of control."

Kitchen Mart seeks more than $600,000 for conversion and breach of duty. Its lead attorney is Kevin Kinney, with Krukowski & Costello.

Kitchen Mart's Web site greets visitors with the slogan, "Occasionally, your dreams are surpassed by reality."

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