New charge filed against widow of Illinois cop who staged suicide
WAUKEGAN, Ill. -- The widow of a suburban Chicago police officer who authorities say staged his suicide to appear he was gunned down in the line of duty has been charged with conspiracy for allegedly helping her husband siphon money from a youth program.
Melodie Gliniewicz was charged in January with six felony counts of money laundering and disbursing charitable funds without authority for personal benefit. Officials said Wednesday's conspiracy charge is an additional and alternate way of charging her with the same offenses.
She previously pleaded not guilty to the initial charges, CBS Chicago station WBBM reported.
An arraignment date on the new indictment is scheduled for April 6. Her attorneys issued a statement saying Gliniewicz looks forward to "proving her innocence."
Gliniewicz's husband, Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz, died Sept. 1. Authorities say he staged his suicide to look like a homicide because he feared discovery of the embezzlement.
The January indictment alleged Melodie and Joe Gliniewicz knowingly used money from the Fox Lake Police Explorers Post for several personal expenses - including a trip to Hawaii and more than 400 restaurant charges - and then covered up their misuse of charitable funds.
Lake County prosecutors alleged Melodie Gliniewicz embezzled between $10,000 and $100,000 from the Explorers program between 2008 and 2014.