A 38-year-old Thunder Bay woman has been found guilty of defrauding a local contracting business of more than $200,000.
Justice Bruce Fitzpatrick found Kerry Wirkkunen guilty of theft over $5,000 Tuesday morning at the Superior Court of Justice. Wirkkunen had been charged with falsifying records to cover up a $205,000 theft over a two-year period from A.B.P. Constructors, where she worked as a bookkeeper.
During the trial, Wirkkunen said she had been transferring money from the company to her personal accounts and then giving the cash to her employer under their direction.
Documents showed Wirkkunen transferred more than $160,000 to her Bank of Nova Scotia Visa through several transactions. She testified she would then take out the cash at ATMs and give it to her employer.
Her employer denied her claims during his testimony.
Fitzpatrick said when making his decision the issue of credibility is paramount. He said on the whole of the evidence, he had no doubt the employer did not approve of Wirkkunen’s actions.
He said he did not believe Wirkkunen’s testimony that she was being directed to take cash from the company.
Wirkkunen was accused of stealing the money from March 2008 and November 2009 and during that time there was an improvement in her lifestyle. Records such as plane tickets, hotel and restaurant receipts showed she took several trips.
The court also heard how Wirkkunen paid off about $4,000 of her credit card debt in April 2008.
The lifestyle improvement points to stealing money from the company, Fitzpatrick said.
“I find she was transferring money to credit cards for her own personal use,” he said.
Fitzpatrick said he was convinced beyond a reasonable doubt of Wirkkunen’s guilt.
Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 21.
