March 25, 2015

Former Treasurer Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Nearly $475,000 from Fraternal Order of Police

TULSA, OK—Lorna Jean Vanlandingham, the former Treasurer of the Fraternal Order of Police Oklahoma State Lodge and the Tulsa Fraternal Order of Police, pleaded guilty today to embezzling nearly $475,000 from Lodge bank accounts, announced United Sates Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma. Sentencing is scheduled on June 22, 2015 before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Gregory K. Frizzell.

Vanlandingham, 71, of Tulsa, was charged in a criminal information with two-counts of wire fraud on February 11, 2015. At the time of the scheme, she was responsible for maintaining the financial books and records of the Fraternal Order of Police Oklahoma State Lodge and the Fraternal Order of Police Oklahoma State Lodge #93 in Tulsa.

According to court documents, from April 6, 2010 to April 29, 2014, Vanlandingham embezzled nearly $68,000 from the Fraternal Order of Police Oklahoma State Lodge by writing fraudulent checks and making unauthorized transfers. Additionally, from January 5, 2010 to April 29, 2014, Vanlandingham embezzled nearly $405,000 from the Fraternal Order of Police Oklahoma Lodge #93. She used the monies for personal expenses.

Vanlandingham faces the statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, plus restitution, for each wire fraud charge.

The case was handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Gallant is prosecuting the case.