Posted on 11/12/2015 8:29:11 AM PST by Red Badger
Some of the people and organizations who donated money to the family of a now-disgraced Illinois police officer want their cash back after investigators revealed last week that the cop embezzled thousands of dollars from his department before staging his suicide to look like a murder.
“I think that our community feels duped and betrayed,†said Ashley Lambert, who organized a charity event in honor of the officer.
A tally of the more-publicized fundraisers held for the family of Lt. Joe Gliniewicz indicates a minimum of $201,000 was raised.
The official Joe Gliniewicz Memorial Fund was set up at the BMO Harris Bank. The bank won’t reveal how much money has been deposited or withdrawn from the account, but officials told the Northwest Daily Herald the account has been frozen.
Investigators initially believed Gliniewicz was gunned down by three male suspects in Fox Lake on Sept. 1, based on his radio communication. His family was immediately propelled into the national spotlight as a result, and donations poured in.
Sympathy for the small-town family has faded sharply, however, since police revealed last week that the officer’s wife, Melody, and eldest son, D.J., were knowingly receiving some of the money Gliniewicz stole. Gliniewicz's family is now being investigated and could face felony theft and money laundering charges.
Investigators say Gliniewicz was using the embezzled money for personal expenses such as his mortgage, vacations, gym membership and pornographic websites. Gliniewicz took his wife on a Hawaiian vacation and text messages from his phone indicate he likely gave his son money to repair his truck.
One of the most successful fundraisers was a T-shirt campaign organized by Gliniewicz’s colleagues on Booster.com. The website indicates over 8,000 Gliniewicz T-shirts sold for $20 each, raising $127,000 for his family.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Let this be a cautionary story for anyone who sees a sob story on the news and then immediately donates to help the “victim” or his or her family. Way to many grifters have caught on to the idea that if you can get some press for a tragedy and set up a pay pal or other account, that you can easily rake in a five figure sum in donations, perhaps even six figures.
I wouldn’t. You either give or you don’t. It never ceases to amaze me that when you get down to it most people who claim to give charitably have strings attached. That’s not charity that social engineering. If that’s what they’re looking for they should seek employment in the welfare office. Where they can make those, “I’ll give but only if...” decisions.
Lt. Gliniewicz hasn’t been convicted of anything in a court of law, so why is this article not inserting the word “allegedly” in front of everything: “the cop (allegedly) embezzled thousands of dollars” and “Gliniewicz was (allegedly) using the embezzled money”?
Good luck with that. We had a scumbag lawyer named Jeffrey I Klein of oysterbay long island steal eight grand from us that was supposed to be in escrow.
Jeffrey do you remember I told you to pray for my health? You took that as a threat and I told you it was more like a sacred oath?
I haven’t forgotten jeffy.
I don't imagine many of those will get much wear....
Because you can’t defame or slander a dead person.
Will be used for shining shoes and polishing cars..........hopefully police shoes and cars.......................
From what I have read, the evidence is overwhelming..............
People who are giving under false pretenses is usually called fraud...........
Journalism means never having to say you’re sorry....................
Because dead people rarely file defamation of character lawsuits.
CC
Anyone foolish enough to give to all these gofundme, etc. deserve what they get. Unless you know for certain the money will be used as you intended then it’s better to keep it safe in your wallet.
just a good reminder to hold your fire, or your money, until the facts are all in....
the train wreck in Philly?....the gay engineer showing his little appendage on the internet...no train problems, no gunfire, just little old Train engineer NOT braking on schedule and we still don't know why...
the cop found tied up and murdered in Abiline Tx....sounds like he was part of a kinky group yet, the story just disappeared...
we won't even go into the non fecal Nazi symbol at the so called university of Missouri.
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