THUNDER BAY - A former treasurer of a local not-for profit pleaded guilty to one count of fraud over $5,000 on Tuesday.
Morris Wapoose who acted as the finance director of Anishnawbe-Mushkiki, a not-for-profit health centre in Thunder Bay, entered a guilty plea for his part in a massive fraud that resulted in a more than $700,000 loss to local organization.
The court heard from Crown counsel Peter Keen that the fraudulent acts were committed by three individuals including Wapoose over a roughly three-year period to the local organization that was run by a seven-member volunteer board of directors.
The two other women involved, Corrina Gagnon and Tanya Mainville, have already pleaded guilty and are serving jail sentences ranging from 12 to 18 months, Keen said.
According to Keen, Gagnon acted as the “ringleader” of the fraudulent acts and suffers from gambling addictions and substance abuse issues.
An agreed statement of facts was read by Keen on Tuesday and highlighted Wapoose’s involvement in the defrauding. The court heard Wapoose received payments in various forms including cheques, Christmas bonus payments and gift cards. All of which he was not legally entitled because he was a volunteer board member, Keen said.
According to Keen, Wapoose benefitted from the fraud from 2012 to 2015 where he received a total of participation cheques ranging from $59,000 to $76,000.
The facts read by Crown counsel stated the board of directors were having difficulties getting members to attend meetings and some wouldn’t pay attention. The not-for-profit was also going through a certification process and a decision was made to host meetings out of country at a casino in Grand Portage, Keen said.
However, witnesses testified Gagnon and Mainville would often be on the floor gambling and would often have to be called off the casino floor in order to get work done.
Witnesses also reported these casino trips were very expensive.
“Very little work was done at these casino meetings,” Keen said, quoting testimonies from witnesses.
During this time, the individuals involved in the fraud were receiving non-approved cheques.
The board also sought legal advice regarding volunteer board members receiving payments.
“Legally volunteer board members are not permitted to receive remuneration for work,” Keen said.
Wapoose is scheduled to return to court in May to set a date for sentencing. A pre-sentence report and a Gladue Report have been ordered.
