Massive fraud at Calgary company 'went unnoticed', police say
Calgary police say a woman who posed as a chartered professional accountant for an oil and gas company is facing charges after she allegedly defrauded the company for nearly two years.
Officials say the woman first joined the company in October 2013, working as an accountant on a temporary contract. Among her duties, she was assigned to be the business's sole administrator of its third-party payroll system.
Police say she was also the only person who had access to the company's credit card account.
"During this time, the woman allegedly set herself up as a full-time, salary-based employee on the company’s payroll system and used company funds to fraudulently pay herself $254,856," police said in a release.
In addition, police believe she used the credit card, which was intended for small office items, for "extravagant and expensive" purchases of about $30,000.
Investigators also found she issued 16 company cheques, totalling $65,280, to herself and cashed them.
The suspect also used $187,522 of company funds to pay off her own personal credit card, police say.
"The fraudulent activity went unnoticed for an extended period of time, until the woman responded to a suspicious work email, sending a large sum of money to a supposed financial institution in China without first checking with company management," police said.
In the weeks after the email was sent, the company conducted its own investigation and discovered a series of frauds and thefts, notifying police in January 2016 – months after the employee was dismissed in September 2015.
Monika Manhas, 44, was arrested and charged with fraud and theft over $5,000 on Feb. 16.
She is expected in court on March 30.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact police by calling 403-266-1234. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers through any of the following methods:
TALK: 1-800-222-8477
TYPE: www.calgarycrimestoppers.org
APP: P3 Tips
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump making 'joke' about Canada becoming 51st state is 'reassuring': Ambassador Hillman
Canada’s ambassador to the U.S. insists it’s a good sign U.S. president-elect Donald Trump feels 'comfortable' joking with Canadian officials, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Mexico president says Canada has a 'very serious' fentanyl problem
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is not escalating a war of words with Mexico, after the Mexican president criticized Canada's culture and its framing of border issues.
Quebec doctors who refuse to stay in public system for 5 years face $200K fine per day
Quebec's health minister has tabled a bill that would force new doctors trained in the province to spend the first five years of their careers working in Quebec's public health network.
Freeland says it was 'right choice' for her not to attend Mar-a-Lago dinner with Trump
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says it was 'the right choice' for her not to attend the surprise dinner with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Mar-a-Lago with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump on Friday night.
Canadians warned to use caution in South Korea after martial law declared then lifted
Global Affairs Canada is warning Canadians in South Korea to avoid demonstrations and exercise caution after the country's president imposed an hours-long period of martial law.
NDP won't support Conservative non-confidence motion that quotes Singh
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he won't play Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's games by voting to bring down the government on an upcoming non-confidence motion.
Calgary man who drove U-Haul over wife sentenced to 15 years
A Calgary man who killed his wife in 2020 when he drove over her in a loaded U-Haul has been sentenced to 15 years behind bars.
Speaker's ruling clears path for Trudeau's government to face successive tests of confidence in days ahead
After rallying his party's caucus and staffers on Parliament Hill Tuesday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh signalled that he's still not ready to help the other opposition parties trigger an early election, yet.
Opposition leaders talk unity following Trudeau meeting about Trump, minister calls 51st state comment 'teasing'
The prime minister’s emergency meeting with opposition leaders on Tuesday appears to have bolstered a more united front against U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s tariff threats.