Last week’s scheduled sentencing of former Bielinski Brothers CEO Robert Brownell was postponed after he was allegedly mugged outside his home a few days prior. Federal prosecutors now say that the mugging was staged by Brownell, who had his 14 year-old son hit him with a board.

Brownell pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and could be sentenced to as much as 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines. The fraud scheme allegedly masterminded by Brownell caused losses to Bielinski Brothers estimated at $10 million.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes:

Denise Brownell, Robert Brownell’s soon-to-be ex-wife, said when an FBI agent first told her about the supposed mugging, she laughed so hard she had to put down the phone.

“I knew he either paid someone to do this to him or he did it to himself,” she said Tuesday.

Read Tracy’s article about the lessons to be learned from the Bielinski Brothers case.