If convicted, the couple could each face up to 12 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.
A Wisconsin real estate agent and his wife have been charged with stealing $500,000 from a Masonic lodge. The couple allegedly used the money on luxury cars, personal expenses and debts, according to a criminal complaint obtained by the Wisconsin Law Journal.
Tyler Christopeito and his wife, Katie, of Muskego, Wisconsin, are each charged with theft in a business setting over $100,000 and conspiracy to launder money. If convicted, the couple could each face up to 12 years and six months in prison and a $25,000 fine.
Tyler Christopeit is a former officer of the George Washington 1776 Masonic Lodge in Whitefish Bay. He is accused of stealing money “over a number of years” which resulted in him selling the lodge in late 2025.
The stolen funds were allegedly laundered through an account in the name of Katie Christopeite. After her arrest, Katie told detectives that she was “waiting for something like this.” [the arrest] things that happen. ”
According to the criminal complaint, “Katie Christopeit showed no emotion and simply nodded when the complainant (detective) told her that she had spent nearly $500,000 in funds stolen from the lodge since October 2025.”
After the sale of the building, when a new Worshipful Master was installed in the lodge, questions arose about the missing funds. Some of the funds were transferred to an account in Katie’s name, some to an account in Tyler’s name, and some funds were sent directly from the Masons’ accounts to pay for cable bills, grocery store purchases, and Amazon orders.
The Masonic leadership also said that Mr. Tyler wrote in a January 2026 memo that the lodge had a $900,000 investment, but no evidence of that could be found.
The couple were released on $10,000 bail on April 17 and are scheduled to appear in court again today to have their release conditions reviewed.
Tyler Christopeite obtained his real estate license in 2013, but it is currently expired, according to the Wisconsin license database. His Realtor.com profile identifies him as an agent with Coldwell Banker Realty Mequon, and describes him as having “an honest, can-do, empathetic demeanor and a careful, prudent, sound mindset.”
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