Priscilla Olshefski, who was arrested by the Wheaton Police Department on May 2, 2019, has pleaded guilty to Use of Charitable Trust Funds for Personal Benefit (Class 2 Felony) and has been sentenced to 170 days in jail. Her husband, Todd Olshefski, is still awaiting trial with a court date of Aug. 19.
"Our detectives conducted a fair and thorough investigation, as evidenced by the defendant pleading guilty,” said Wheaton Police Chief Bill Murphy. "We would like to thank the efforts of the prosecutors on State's Attorney Bob Berlin's staff. It is our hope to dissuade others trying to prey upon the generosities of the members of our community."
The Wheaton Police Department reminds the community to be prudent when making charitable donations and suggests that they educate themselves about the organizations they support before donating. Contact the Police Department when solicitors are aggressive, obstruct traffic or appear illegitimate.
The Olshefskis were allegedly soliciting on behalf of the Veteran's Christian Network (VCN). The Wheaton Police Department received numerous complaints in reference to aggressive soliciting tactics, intimidation, and concerns surrounding the legitimacy of VCN as a not-for-profit organization. The arrests came at the conclusion of a 10-month investigation by Wheaton Police Detectives with assistance from the Illinois Attorney General and the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office.