Worker who stole from spa lied about cancer

A former spa worker convicted of stealing money from her employer admits she lied about having cancer.

Sherri Dawn George, also known as Sherri Lee, admitted she made up the story in a tearful apology in Halifax provincial court this week.

'You don't question anybody that talks about the C-word' — Bonnie Caldarozzi, spa owner

Her former employer, Bonnie Caldarozzi, isn't impressed.

"It's disgusting," Caldarozzi said Tuesday. "I can't even say anything about it."

George was convicted in May of one count of theft over $5,000 and two counts of fraud under $5,000. She will be sentenced on Thursday.

George, 38, worked as an assistant manager at Embrace Spa. In 2007, she started handling the company's cash deposits and cheques, eventually taking $68,000 for herself.

George garnered a lot of sympathy by coming to work with bandages and claiming she just had chemotherapy.

"She had us thinking that she had cancer for the last couple of years that she worked for us. And she had time off to go to those appointments," Caldarozzi said.

"You don't question anybody that talks about the C-word."

Caldarozzi said she didn't know anything was wrong until her beloved employee left in May 2009. An audit uncovered that money was missing, and the spa called police.

During her trial, George said she was sick with stomach and ovarian cancers. She testified she lost her eyebrows.

Crown attorney Mark Heerema suspected a lie because a letter written by George's doctor didn't mention cancer. He obtained records from the cancer registry, the hospital and the province's medical insurance program, but nothing backed George's claim.

The lie unravelled in court Monday as George was about to be sentenced. She admitted to Judge Anne Derrick that she made up the story because she was stressed.

Heerema is calling for a jail sentence of eight to 12 months, while the defence is asking for house arrest.