IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Wis. billionaire charged with child sex assault

Billionaire businessman Curtis Johnson has been charged in Wisconsin with having repeated sexual contact with a now 15-year-old girl over several years.
Curt Johnson, the former chairman of Diversey, Inc., listens to defense attorney Michael Hart discuss bond recommendations, as he is charged Thursday in Racine, Wis., County Circuit Court with a count of repeated sexual assault of a child.
Curt Johnson, the former chairman of Diversey, Inc., listens to defense attorney Michael Hart discuss bond recommendations, as he is charged Thursday in Racine, Wis., County Circuit Court with a count of repeated sexual assault of a child.Mark Hertzberg / AP
/ Source: msnbc.com news services

A billionaire executive whose family has run SC Johnson for five generations was charged Thursday with having sexual contact with a now 15-year-old girl over the course of several years.

Samuel Curtis Johnson III, who goes by Curt, faces a count of repeated sexual assault of a child. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

Johnson, 55, is the former chairman of Sturtevant-based Diversey Inc., a cleaning-products company that was spun off from SC Johnson in the late 1990s. Privately held SC Johnson makes household products including Pledge, Glade, Windex and Ziploc.

Part of the criminal complaint were released Thursday, but the Racine County court commissioner ordered part of the complaint and a motion on sealing by Johnson's attorneys sealed until the matter could be heard by a judge. A Friday hearing on the sealing was canceled and will be made part of Johnson's April 13 preliminary hearing, prosecutors said.

Johnson resigned from Diversey's board in February and was taking a leave of absence for personal reasons, the company said at the time.

Diversey spokesman John Matthews told The Associated Press on Thursday that Johnson had retired effective the end of March and that his leave of absence immediately removed him from any role with the company. Johnson was replaced by his sister, Helen Johnson-Leipold.

The criminal complaint says Johnson had inappropriate sexual contact with the girl 15 to 20 times. The girl told investigators Johnson wanted to have sex with her, but she refused.

The girl told authorities that inappropriate touching started when she was between 6th and 7th grade, and the last incident occurred in November 2010, according to the complaint cited by the Journal Times of Racine.

Prosecutors said the girl confided about the abuse to her mother, who confronted Johnson. He allegedly admitted to fondling the girl and repeatedly apologized for his behavior.

Johnson is not in custody but was ordered at his initial court appearance Thursday to pay $500,000 cash bond, have no contact with the victim and no contact with any minor female children unless in the presence of another adult. Other bond conditions include not leaving the state and surrendering his passport.

Forbes magazine estimated the wealth of the married father of four this month at $2 billion, making him No. 595th richest on its list of the world's billionaires.

His brother, Fisk Johnson, heads SC Johnson, also known for household staples Windex, Pledge, Ziploc.

Fisk Johnson, in an email cited by the Journal Times to employees Thursday, said, "The nature of allegations of this type is always appalling. And our family is distraught. This is an ongoing investigation. I fully respect the process and can only hope for the best for everyone involved."

Family spokesman Harlan Loeb said echoed the comments, saying also, "Obviously this is a personal matter for Curt."