A former Hearthstone Historic House Museum board member was charged with theft after investigators say he misappropriated nearly $70,000 over six years.
Here’s what to know about the case.
Who is charged?
Steven Jahnke, 67, of Appleton.
Jahnke previously served as treasurer for the Hearthstone board of directors, according to a criminal complaint.
What are the charges?
Jahnke in charged in Outagamie County with theft in a business setting, $10,000 to $100,000, a felony.
What happened?
According to a criminal complaint:
- In May 2025, the Appleton Police Department began an investigation after receiving complaints from Friends of Hearthstone, Inc. board members, which operates the Hearthstone Historic House Museum. The complaints alleged suspicious spending from the board’s account, which was controlled by board treasurer Jahnke.
- One board member told police in June 2025 that he began suspecting Jahnke was embezzling funds in February 2025. The board member estimated possible losses of around $43,000 and noted charges inconsistent with museum operations including cruises, vacation travel and vehicle repair. The board member said there were recurring monthly withdrawals of $900 to a Barclays credit card.
- A former director told police in June 2025 that he discovered a Menards Commercial Capital One account statement addressed to “Steven BIANKI” at a Friends of Hearthstone P.O. Box in February 2025. He said Jahnke was the only person who could write checks from the museum’s account. The former director said grant funds from the Community Foundation were “depleted contrary to their restricted purposes” and that $80,000 was withdrawn from the museum’s endowment in late 2024.
- Hearthstone Executive Director George Schroeder provided police with a timeline and spreadsheets from a forensic CPA identifying a total of $70,792.32 in “suspicious expenditures” in 2023 and 2024.
- Records from Jahnke’s Barclays credit card account confirmed a pattern of withdrawals from the Hearthstone bank account totaling $20,700 from July 7, 2023, through March 14, 2024.
- Records from the Menards Commercial Trade Account showed purchases made under Jahnke’s name, as well as check and transfer payments from the Hearthstone account totaling $15,929.99. Invoices included personal items like dog food, decorations and plants. The museum had not authorized the creation or use of the account and current board members were unaware it existed.
- Amazon records showed items purchased on Jahnke’s Amazon account using Hearthstone funds were shipped to his address. An investigator identified 532 individuals purchases that were not authorized between 2019 and 2024 totaling $28,720.21.
- Norwegian Cruise Line records showed Jahnke used the Hearthstone account to pay $1,385.63 toward a 12-day Australia and New Zealand itinerary on Nov. 16, 2023.
- Matthews Tire records showed Jahnke used the Hearthstone account to pay $1,225.47 for repair work on a car registered to him.
- On Nov. 7, investigators interviewed Jahnke. He said he served as treasurer for six to seven years. He said he at time confused his personal cards with the museum’s card, but asserted he reimbursed the museum in such cases. He did not provide specific examples. Jahnke initially denied having a Barclays credit card, but admitted that after “falling behind” he switched payments to the Hearthstone account.
- Jahnke said Amazon purchases delivered to his house were to be brought to the museum. He later said he could not deny that he made the purchases and estimated his personal debt to be around $80,000.
- Jahnke later admitted in the interview that “I did embezzle funds to pay for my own expenses.” He said he planned restitution.
- Investigators identified a total of $69,000 in unauthorized withdrawals from the Hearthstone account between 2019 and 2025 attributable to Jahnke, used for Jahnke’s personal expenses.
What’s next?
Jahnke is scheduled to make his initial appearance in court March 17. Jahnke is not in custody, according to jail records…