Joe Crupi, former Kashechewan First Nation manager, charged with fraud

RCMP allege more than $1.2 million in public money was fraudulently obtained by a former co-manager for the Kashechewan First Nation in northern Ontario between 2007 and 2012.

Giuseppe (Joe) Crupi, 50, from Thunder Bay, Ont., has been charged with fraud following an investigation.

The money came from a program that was meant to provide breakfasts for about 400 elementary school children on the First Nation.

The RCMP allege Crupi took close to $700,000 of this money for his personal use.

The funds originally came from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada.

Crupi was the co-manager at Kashechewan First Nation and responsible for managing funds obtained from the government.

RCMP investigators arrested Crupi on Sept. 20 and charged him with the following:

• Three counts of fraud.
• Three counts of uttering a forged document.
• Laundering the proceeds of crime.
• Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.