Woman Accused Of Stealing More Than $400K From Charity That Helps Families Of Fallen Officers
AT-A-GLANCE
- Lorraine Shanley was a volunteer treasurer of Survivors of the Shield charity for police families from 2010 and 2017.
- Shanley herself is an NYPD window, as her late husband died of a heart condition.
- Investigators allege she stole $410,000 for dental expenses, landscaping services, her son's legal fees, parking and traffic tickets, Barbara Streisand tickets and more.
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A Staten Island woman accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a police charity had nothing to say for herself Thursday.
Lorraine Shanley dodged reporters' questions and hid under an umbrella while leaving court.
The 68-year-old allegedly pocketed more than $400,000 while she was volunteer treasurer for the nonprofit Survivors of the Shield, which raises money for the widows and children of NYPD officers killed in the line of duty.
MORE: Police: NYPD Charity Treasurer Stole Over $400,000 For Son's Legal Fees, Streisand Tickets, More
According to the criminal complaint, Shanley managed the charity's finances between 2010 and 2017. During those seven years, she allegedly stole the money to pay for dental expenses, landscaping services, parking and traffic tickets, and even Barbara Streisand concert tickets.
She's also accused of taking nearly $30,000 to pay for her grandson's private school tuition and $63,000 to pay for her son's legal fees in a criminal case against him.
A post on the Survivors of the Shield website and Facebook account reads, "We are deeply saddened that the person arrested betrayed the trust placed in them by this organization and so many others."
"Representatives of Survivors of the Shield contacted the U.S. Department of Justice after potential financial improprieties were uncovered. The Board has been working with the U.S. Attorney's office for the Southern District of New York," the post continued. "Survivors of the Shield was founded in 1988 and continues to lend support and assistance to the families of police officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the performance of their duty."
CRIMINAL COMPLAINT: U.S. v. Lorraine Shanley
CBS2's Ali Bauman asked Shanley's neighbor whether he noticed anything lavish about her.
"Nothing, not nice cars, nothing really. Nothing to see that she has $400,000 to just throw away. It looks like a normal family," Joe Palacino said. "Good people. She got caught in something that she probably realized she didn't mean to, you know, in the end."
Shanley herself is an NYPD window. Her late husband died of a heart condition.
She was released on $100,000 bond and is due back in federal court next month. If found guilty, she could face up to 30 years in prison.
