THUNDER BAY – The fraud case against the former head of the Christmas Cheer Fund has been put on hold as the mental health of the accused is assessed.
Linda Gambee, who is charged with one count each of fraud over $5,000 and breach of trust, was accused a year ago with defrauding the Christmas Cheer Fund of $22,000. Gambee was not present in the courtroom Friday and was instead represented by lawyer Gil Labine.
Labine told the court Friday that he was awaiting a mental health assessment of Gambee before he could proceed.
He asked the court for a brief adjournment before determining when the pre-trial process would continue.
Gambee is scheduled to reappear in court on Feb. 17.
Gambee has since resigned as the board’s chair in the fall of 2013 following a high-profile dispute with the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition board of directors.
She was charged in February 2014, one month after the Thunder Bay Police Service’s Economic Crimes Unit began investigating a complaint into discrepancies with the charitable organization’s finances.
None of the charges against Gambee have been proven in court.
She is also currently engaged in a $350,000 lawsuit against the Royal Canadian Legion in Kakabeka for injuries suffered when she fell off wooden stairs while cleaning the Legion’s food truck in June 2012.
