FOX LAKE, Ill. -- A grand jury has indicted Melodie Gliniewicz, 51, the widow of former Fox Lake, Ill. police lieutenant Joe Gliniewicz.
Joe Gliniewicz is the man who police said committed suicide and staged the scene in an attempt to mislead investigators to believe it was a homicide in September 2015. It resulted in a massive manhunt.
According to the Lake County Sheriff's Office, Melodie Gliniewicz was indicted Wednesday on three counts of disbursing charitable funds without authority and for personal benefit (Class 2 felonies), one count of disbursing charitable funds without authority and for personal benefit (Class 3 felony), one count of money laundering (Class 2 felony), and one count of money laundering (Class 3 felony).
Following the Grand Jury indictment, a Lake County judge issued an arrest warrant for Melodie Gliniewicz, setting bond at $50,000.
During the investigation into the death of Joe Gliniewicz, Lake County Major Crime Task Force investigators found inconsistencies in financial documents. It appeared non-business related money had been withdrawn and money laundering had occurred involving the finances of the Fox Lake Police Explorer Post.
Joe Gliniewicz oversaw the Fox Lake Police Explorer Post for more than two decades. Melodie Gliniewicz also held a fiduciary role as an adult advisor.
Lake County officials analyzed more than 10,000 pages of documents, requested additional bank/business records via subpoena, requested several additional items/documents from the Village of Fox Lake and conducted several interviews.
“The investigation revealed money was withdrawn from the police explorer account over the course of several years," Lake County Undersheriff Ray Rose said in a press release. "Detectives determined this money was used to finance a number of personal expenses and personal finances."
Detectives determined some of the personal expenses paid from the police explorer account included a trip to Hawaii, payments to businesses such as Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Fox Lake Theatre, and over 400 restaurant charges.
