Michael Bauer, a prominent gay political activist and attorney, is the respondent in a complaint that charges him with fraud and breach of fiduciary duty by siphoning almost $200,000 out of his brother's children's trust fund. Mary Robinson, administrator of the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission ( IARDC ) filed the complaint June 17; Bauer was served July 8.
The complaint states that Bauer's brother, Jerry, created a $1.2-million trust fund account for his three minor children in 1992; Michael Bauer was named as trustee.
In 1994, Michael Bauer withdrew $100,000 from the account with his brother's full knowledge. The respondent agreed to draft and execute a promissory note 'as evidence of the withdrawal.' ( According to the complaint, as of June 8 of this year, Bauer was in default regarding the note. )
However, the document also states that between July 2003 and May 2004, the respondent wrote 15 unauthorized checks from the investment account totaling $197,000 to himself.
In an e-mail to Windy City Times, Bauer said the familial rift involved in the filing of the complaint has been healed. In the e-mail to WCT, Bauer said the entire situation started because he attended a social event instead of a family-related one, but that the suit was 'dropped shortly after it was filed.' In fact, in a subsequent phone interview, he added that the matter was settled between the brothers 'over a year ago.'
However, when questioned why the legal situation is still happening, Bauer stated that he 'honestly has no clue. My attorney filed a response [ on Aug. 11 ] and, among other things, we said that it's all resolved. I don't know if the commission is aware that this all old history.'
Bauer is a board member of the Windy City Media Group.