OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK)- Former University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Chancellor Richard Wells and Vice Chancellor Thomas Sonnleitner pleaded not guilty in Winnebago County Court Monday morning to all counts of misconduct in office.
The two are charged with five criminal counts alleging they improperly managed university funds for five development projects related to the university. After years in higher education, Wells and Sonnleitner, have been reduced to defending their reputations in court.
The state filed criminal charges after its investigation into the financial relationship between UW-Oshkosh and the private non-profit UW-Oshkosh Foundation.
Wells and Sonnleitner are accused of making financial guarantees they didn’t have the authority to make.
The defendants’ lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the charges.
“The motion challenges the complaint as lacking sufficient facts to show knowledge as is required under the misconduct in public statute and also raises some constitutional vagueness,” said Ray Dall’Osto, Wells’ attorney.
Between 2012 and 2016 the foundation set up five limited liability companies to fund, among other things, the development of the Oshkosh Sports Complex that includes Titan Stadium, and the Alumni Welcome and Conference Center.
But according to court documents Wells and Sonnleitner in their roles with the university “knowingly and without lawful authority signed loan guarantees on behalf of the UW-Oshkosh Foundation.”
When the foundation couldn’t make loan payments, that ultimately created millions of dollars in debt for state taxpayers.
“All of this was for the purposes of the university, the university structure, its mission and its student body,” said Dall’Osto.
Neither Wells nor Sonnleitner are accused of profiting in any way.
The defense moved quickly to enter pleas, which allows them to now get a look at the thousands of pages of documents the state has compiled to make its case.
Wells and Sonnleiter declined to comment after court but were greeted with hugs by a couple well-wishers as they headed out of the courthouse.
“This has been very painful for them. It has hurt their reputations but there’s a lot of supporters,” said Dall’Osto.
Both men will be back in court December 10 for a status hearing. Defense attorneys asked for the most amount of time possible to review all the documents they are expected to receive from prosecutors.
