Lorraine Shanley was sentenced to two years in prison for stealing from a charity for families of slain police officers. Shanley acted as treasurer for Survivors of the Shield while pocketing more than $400,000 from them, spending the money on luxuries for herself and her family. The charity helps widows and families of police officers killed in the line of duty and is funded mostly by contributions from active-duty police officers, reports Stephen Rex Brown for the New York Daily News.
The charity’s reputation has been damaged by Shanley’s crimes, along with the reputations of many honest widows who have worked hard to support those in need for many years.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman told the court, “With every paycheck, thousands of New York City Police Department officers and employees donated to charity to support the surviving spouses and children of officers killed in the line of duty. Yet for years, Lorraine Shanley exploited that generosity, using her position as the charity’s volunteer treasurer to steal over $400,000 for herself and her family. Today’s sentence sends a clear message that those who commit such fraud will face serious consequences.”
