Treasurer for charity benefitting families of fallen NYPD officers accused of stealing over $400K

The treasurer for a charity that helps families of New York Police Department officers killed in the line of duty is accused of stealing more than $400,000 from the fund.

Federal prosecutors in New York on Thursday charged Lorraine Shanley with bank fraud and aggravated identify theft, according to NBC 4. She is expected to appear in court Thursday.

Shanley, who worked for the charity for seven years and allegedly stole more than 20 percent of the total donations during her tenure, turned herself in to authorities Thursday.

{mosads}NBC News reports federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan did not identify the specific charity in question, but a website for Survivors of the Shield listed Shanley as treasurer.

Prosecutors say the charity raised roughly $1.9 million from donations during Shanley’s seven years as treasurer, with about 99 percent coming from employees of the police department.

An average of 5,500 NYPD employees donate to the charity each year.

Shanley used the money she allegedly embezzled to pay for her grandchild’s private school, dental work for herself and landscaping for her home, among other things, according to the criminal complaint.

Shanley’s years of embezzling from the charity was reportedly discovered when a new volunteer joined the organization and studied the group’s previous tax returns and financial records.

Shanley’s husband was an NYPD officer who died from a heart attack in 1986 while on duty.