Accused Pastor Did Not Misuse 'One Cent,' Attorney Says

Pastor Leon Piepenbrink did not pilfer, pillage or plunder "one cent" of the $62,500 he is accused of taking, says defense attorney Kenneth Ubong Udoibok.

Piepenbrink is facing trial for allegedly stealing $62,500 from the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Church Synod (WELS) between 2007 and 2010. Piepenbrink was charged in May 2011 with seven felony counts of theft by swindle. 

"He is a good man. He is a good pastor. The state will not be able to prove that a cent of the church's money was misappropriated. Not even one cent," Udoibok told Patch. "Every dime of what Pastor Piepenbrink spent was to develop churches in Southeast Asia."

Udoibok also highlighted the way in which he feels privileged information was used against his client.  

"When (Piepenbrink) spoke to his brother—and by 'brother' I mean within the establishment of the Church—he believed the man to be a religious counselor. When you go to confession you don't expect the government to be involved in that," he said. 

"[Pieperbrink] admitted using the funds without authorization, but strictly for church-related work ... He believed he was sharing the information in a forum that was confessional," Udoibok added.

Dakota County District Attorney James Backstrom could not be reached for comment, but his office did confirm that a settlement conference has been scheduled for April 18, 2012.

In the event no settlement is reached, Piepenbrink is scheduled to appear before a jury on May 7. 

While the offenses against Piepenbrink each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine, Backstom's office also confirmed it is seeking a maximum of 23 months behind bars. No mention was made of a fine.

According to the complaint, WELS officials grew suspicious of Piepenbrink and contacted Inver Grove Heights police after the pastor requested reimbursement for security systems, bulletproof glass and a gun—all for self-defense. See Patch's original story by

Piepenbrink allegedly told his superiors that violent members of the Hmong community had threatened him, and that he had been driving near Hastings in 2010 when the occupants of another vehicle shot at him. Piepenbrink worked closely with the Hmong community in his role as a pastor.

But WELS officials couldn’t find the police reports that Piepenbrink claimed he filed, according to the complaint. The synod also checked with the businesses from which Piepenbrink claimed to have purchased personal protection equipment, and found that many of his claimed expenditures were fabricated, the complaint said.

Officials confronted Piepenbrink about his claims, at which point the pastor allegedly admitted he had falsified documents and stolen money from the synod.

Police say Piepenbrink was a pastor in charge of a Hmong outreach program at in Inver Grove Heights.