Fox Lake Cop's Wife Charged With Money Laundering, Misuse Of Funds

By Kate Shepherd in News on Jan 27, 2016 10:59PM

Vigil is held for the fallen Fox Lake police officer Charles Joseph Gliniewicz as manhunt for his killers continues. By Marielle Shaw/Chicagoist

The widow of the Fox Lake police officer who staged his suicide to look like a murder has been charged with felony counts of misuse of charitable funds and money laundering, according to the Tribune.

The indictments stem from Lt. Joe Gliniewicz's alleged theft of money from the police department over a long period of time.

Melodie Gliniewicz and her husband allegedly used money from the Police Explorers program fund to pay from their own expenses including a trip to Hawaii. But her attorneys say that she was just a "victim of her husband's secret actions," the Tribune reported.

A grand jury heard the case against Gliniewicz on Wednesday morning and the charges were announced this afternoon.

Authorities issued an arrest warrant along with a $50,000 bond but it appears that she has turned herself in already.

The widow could get probation or a prison sentence if convicted of the charges.

In November the charity that helped the Gliniewicz family following the lieutenant's death asked for their money back.