Judge rules Melodie Gliniewicz will face money laundering charges

FOX LAKE, Ill. (WLS) -- A judge ruled Wednesday that Melodie Gliniewicz, widow of disgraced Fox Lake Police Lieutenant Joe Gliniewicz, will face charged for money laundering.

Gliniewicz, 51, is charged with nine counts related to misuse of funds for the Fox Lake Police Explorers program, which was run by her late husband. Prosecutors say she played a role in misspending more than $10,000 of the village's money.

Lt. Gliniewicz carefully staged his suicide to look like a murder in fall 2015 over fears that someone would discover his embezzlement from that program.

Melodie Gliniewicz has denied any wrongdoing. In May her lawyers sought to have some of the charges thrown out, saying she was being held accountable for crimes committed by her late husband. The judge disagreed.