BROOKFIELD, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Between February 7, 2018 and June 11, 2024, 72-year-old Darlene Baczek has been intentionally using information, documents and checks of the American Legion Auxiliary Group to get money without the organization's knowledge or consent.

The criminal complaint states that the president of the Brookfield Chapter of the American Legion Auxiliary contacted police on August, 8, 2025, for a report of a theft. The president stated that the group's treasurer, Darlene Baczek, had taken $25,000 from the group's bank account without permission.

Prosecutors say that the president recently learned that Baczek that stolen money from safe's at the American Legion Brookfield location, and checked the group's bank account. But since she wasn't an account holder could only be provided with the balance. She found that the account had a total of $2,645, when it should've had $27,000.

Baczek was the only person who had access to the group's bank account.

Officials says that no one gave Baczek permission to withdraw excess money from the account.

Police interviewed a former Auxiliary President, who reviewed records of the group's bank account from Feb. of 2018 to July of 2024 and "found a total of $43,476.81 worth of checks that were cashed without the group's consent and an additional $3,060 in unauthorized ATM withdrawals, for a total loss of $46,536.81."

According to the former president, it's not common procedure to write a check for cash or "pay to the order of cash."

Baczek has served as the group's treasurer since 2017 and she was responsible for providing the current balance at the monthly Auxiliary group meeting.

The complaint outlines that Baczek would use the signature of former presidents during her time as treasurer to sign checks without their knowledge or permission.

Baczek faces up six years in prison or $10,000 fine or both.