$33,500 in Donations Released to Widow of Disgraced Fox Lake Cop

FOX LAKE, IL — Lake County prosecutors agreed Monday to release $33,500 to the widow of Fox Lake Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz, the Lake County News-Sun reports.

Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Ken LaRue said the funds released Monday included donations and a paycheck received after Gliniewicz’s death on Sept. 1, according to the article. Additional funds could be released to the family if more donations are found in the currently frozen accounts.

“We have no claim on anything received after death,” LaRue said.

Last month, the Lake County State’s Attorney froze the personal bank accounts of Melodie Gliniewicz amid an investigation into her possible involvement in her husband’s alleged embezzlement scheme, according to an earlier article from the Daily Herald. She learned her account had been frozen when she attempted to buy gas on Nov. 9. In total, six accounts and two credit cards were frozen on Nov. 6.

A Lake County judge in recent weeks released $4,187 to Melodie Gliniewicz for her personal use, the Daily Herald reports.

Melodie Gliniewicz’s attorneys released several financial documents last month detailing spending by and the amounts of money taken by Lt. Gliniewicz from Fox Lake Explorers accounts, including 98 charges totaling $7,216 for hormone supplements, over $5,600 for a trip to Hawaii and 238 coffee runs totaling $2,455, the newspaper reports. Gliniewicz also spent the money on movies at the Fox Lake Theater and adult entertainment and dating websites.

Police said Gliniewicz staged his own murder on Sept. 1 as authorities began to close in on his embezzlement scheme.

Melodie, 51, in recent weeks has asked the public and authorities to not be quick to pass judgement on her, and her attorneys are seeking to overturn the court order to freeze her accounts, the Chicago Tribune reports. Melodie is unable to pay her mortgage, medical bills and other family expenses since her accounts have been frozen.

“This matter is pending a criminal investigation,” State’s Attorney Mike Nerheim told the Chicago Tribune. “We believe that the evidence we have supplied so far strongly supports the action we have taken. Because this matter is now in litigation, we would be unable to comment publicly. We look forward to litigating this case in a court of law.”

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