A wire transfer for $87,760 was taken from Washington County’s bank account and put into  a criminal’s bank account, according to Washington County Sheriff’s Office.  

The wire transfer occurred on June 16.

Upon identifying the error, County finance staff notified the Sheriff’s Department to begin an investigation.

In cooperation with the Sheriff’s Department, County Administration is taking active steps to mitigate the financial loss for Washington County and educate against e-mail phishing scams.

“We wanted to bring this information to the taxpayer’s attention as soon as possible and exhibit complete transparency regarding this breach. As soon as we are able, we will provide full details of the investigation and of our efforts to ensure those responsible are held accountable,” said Joshua Schoemann, Washington County Administrator. “It is very unfortunate that we fell victim to this scam.”

At present, the Washington County, Wisconsin Sheriff's Office is conducting an investigation of the crime. Further details will be available following the investigation.