Legislation Introduced to Prevent Widow of Disgraced Cop From Receiving Pension Benefits

State Sen. Pamela Althoff, R-McHenry, has introduced legislation that could prevent the widow of disgraced Fox Lake Lt. Joe Gliniewicz from receiving her late husband’s pension, the Daily Herald reports. The law, if passed, could mean a surviving spouse convicted of a felony that is connected to their spouse’s duties could be denied pension benefits.

Fox Lake village officials approached Althoff with the idea to introduce the legislation, according to the Daily Herald.

Melodie Gliniewicz, 51, of Antioch, entered not guilty pleas in April to charges of conspiracy and personal use of charitable funds, according to earlier news reports. Gliniewicz pleaded not guilty earlier this year to three counts of misuse of charitable funds and two counts of money laundering. A trial date has been set for June 27.

Melodie Gliniewicz was indicted by a grand jury earlier this year following an investigation into an embezzlement scheme that ended up robbing the Fox Lake Explorers program of thousands of dollars. Police said Lt. Gliniewicz staged his own murder after embezzling funds from the Explorer program for years. He was found shot dead in Fox Lake on Sept. 1.

Melodie Gliniewicz played a “fiduciary role as an adult advisor with the Fox Lake Police Explorer Post,” which was run by her late husband, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Detective Christopher Covelli said in a news release following Melodie Glineiwicz’s indictment.

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, Covelli said.

More via the Daily Herald

Read More on Patch

• Trial Date Set for Melodie Gliniewicz
• Fox Lake Lt. Gliniewicz Took His Own Life, Sources Say
• Hearing Set to Discuss Gliniewicz Pension
• Melodie Gliniewicz Could Still Get Disgraced Cop's Pension

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