Chicopee Gambling Addict repaying stolen funds

Woman repaying library money
By JEANETTE DeFORGE

CHICOPEE - The former treasurer of the Chicopee Friends of the Public Library, who pleaded guilty to stealing $115,000 from the charity, has paid back about half of the money she took.

Friends President John L. Michon said he received a check for $71,000 from Elizabeth Wilk's lawyers on Thursday.

"We want the people to know we are doing everything we can do to restore those funds," Michon said.

In March, Wilk, 57, pleaded guilty to siphoning the money from the Friends of the Library accounts by using her positions as vice president of mortgage lending for Chicopee Savings Bank and treasurer of the charity. She no longer holds either position.

The money was donated to the Friends of the Public Library to be used to provide children's programming and to purchase equipment which cannot be financed in the regular budget, Michon said.

The thefts took place between Dec. 22, 2007, and Sept. 16, 2010. Her lawyer said Wilk has a gambling addiction and spent the money at casinos and to buy scratch tickets.

Wilk was scheduled to be sentenced today on one count of larceny over $250 by a single scheme, but the appearance was postponed until May 31. Because Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder will be sitting in Hampshire Superior Court, the sentencing will in Northampton.

"I just deposited $71,000 with the full expectation of getting full restitution by May 31," Michon said.

The Friends of the Public Library has asked that Wilk to pay a total of $130,000 to the organization to cover lost interest and the cost of fees for a lawyer and financial officials who assisted in balancing the charity's books after the theft was discovered, he said.

The judge has not ruled on whether it will ask Wilk to pay for the lost interest and professional fees, Michon said