Former employee pleads guilty after defrauding her non-profit employer

A former employee of the Chez-Nous community care co-operative in Wellington has pleaded guilty to misusing a company credit card to defraud her employer of nearly $18,000.

Summerside resident Julie Ann Gaudet, also listed in court records as Julie Ann Ouellette, pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud over $5,000 in October.

According to an agreement statement of facts filed in court, Gaudet, 43, worked at Chez-Nous from April 2020 to January of 2021. 

In that time she worked in various roles, including assistant director and interim manager, which gave her access to a company credit card to make purchases and payments on behalf of the seniors co-op.

But starting in June of 2020, Gaudet also used this credit card for her personal use and to make purchases "not consistent with that of a community care home" for a total of $17,772.47.

She also later submitted false receipts, invoices and credit card statements in an attempt to cover this up.

An RCMP investigation found five credit card statements and 59 other documents that both the Crown and her defense lawyer agreed were forged. 

She was originally also charged with forging documents, but those charges were stayed by the Crown when she pleaded guilty to fraud.

Same sentence as Barb Gallant

The defense requested Gaudet be able to serve her sentence in the community, while the Crown argued she should get the same treatment as Barb Gallant — the former Summerside city councillor who defrauded nearly $13,000 from a veterans group — which was 90 days in jail.

In January Judge Krista MacKay sided with the Crown and Gaudet was sentenced to 90 days in jail. She will be able to serve that on weekends.

Gaudet will also be on probation for three years and has to repay the $17,772.47.

Neither Gaudet's lawyer or the Chez-Nous returned CBC News's requests for comment.