RCMP in Opaskwayak First Nation have charged four people with fraud in connection to the theft of more than $450,000.00.
Police say that their three-year investigation determined that between March 2017 and March 2018 the Opasaskwayak Education Services was defrauded by four employees.
RCMP undertook a forensic audit of the organization’s finances which uncovered the extent of the fraud.
Police say the four individuals were in control of the financial department of OES.
“This was a very long and complex investigation,” said Corporal Sheldon Martens of The Pas General Investigative Section. “These four accused were in control of the financial department of OES and we believe they used their positions of authority within the organization to purposefully commit fraud. By working together and through the use of a wide variety of financial trickery and deception, over $450,000 was siphoned from the OES.”
Marie(Christine) Campbell, 50, Wilfred Harris, 59, Carmen Zolinski, 37 and Anita Ballantyne, 51, all from Opaskwayak Cree Nation were charged with fraud in connection to their alleged involvement.
Three of the four suspects have been arrested and will face a judge in August.
The fourth suspect Carmen Zolinski has a warrant for her arrest. Police say they believe she is now living in another province.
© News4.ca 2020
