Funds frozen in main memorial account for Gliniewicz family
The main memorial bank account created in the days after Fox Lake Police Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz was found dead has been frozen, bank officials confirmed Tuesday.
Patrick O'Herlihy, a spokesman with BMO Harris Bank, said via email that funds in that memorial fund that are earmarked for the Gliniewicz family are being held pending the results of the ongoing police investigation in the case.
O'Herlihy would not say how much money has been deposited into the account or taken from it, citing the ongoing investigation and other privacy reasons. He also would not say whether the bank was asked by police to hold the account, or if the bank did it on its own.
In addition, Lake County Sheriff Det. Christopher Covelli said the village of Fox Lake has received requests from people looking for refunds on money they donated to various charities established when it was initially reported that Gliniewicz was gunned down in the line of duty.
Covelli said the village has not established any accounts or held any charity events for the Gliniewicz family. He added people seeking a refund should contact the charity groups to which they sent money.
"We are trying to determine the sponsors of those events and direct people to the proper individuals," he said.
It's unclear how many of the various donations that came in were funneled into the main memorial account at BMO Harris Bank, or were given directly to the Gliniewicz family, officials said.
Gliniewicz, 52, staged his suicide to make it appear he was murdered Sept. 1, according to an investigation by the Lake County Major Crime Task Force. Authorities said an investigation revealed Gliniewicz was stealing from the village-controlled police youth Explorer fund.
During the two-month probe into Gliniewicz's death, a task force also investigated whether the veteran cop discussed hiring someone to kill Fox Lake Village Administrator Anne Marrin because he feared she would uncover his embezzlement, authorities said.
Gliniewicz, also known as "G.I. Joe," was initially hailed a hero in a massive funeral procession and at community gatherings. Cops from as far away as Las Vegas and New York attended his funeral.
Since the announcement that Gliniewicz staged his death, officials have confirmed that his wife, Melodie, and son, D.J., are also part of the investigation.
Epic Deli in Johnsburg, the McHenry Outdoor Theater, Booster.com, Woodstock Harley, and the Volo Auto Museum, are some of numerous locations where donations were collected and earmarked for the family.