In an article entitled, “Fraud:
government credit card used for spas, restaurants,” Dean Beeby outlines how
a Health Canada employee had charged close to $20,000 to his/her government
credit cards for spa visits, restaurants, clothing, and home improvement items,
as well as performed cash withdrawals. To
make matters worse, this same employee collected and pocketed charitable
donations solicited from co-workers.
Auditors found evidence suggesting personal financial stress, so they
concluded that this individual shouldn’t have been given the credit cards in
the first place. (Wow! What a revelation!) Apparently, this person had been counselled
against personal use, but 60 separate transactions later, this case illustrates
lax controls and follow-up.
So how did Health Canada resolve the situation? The worker’s pay was docked in instalments,
but Health Canada wound up paying outstanding balances of $11,210. As for the theft of the donations, there was
no payback. Later, the employee was
fired. And this is considered a resolution?! A “head-shaker” if I ever did see one!
As a citizen, if I knew that this situation was just an
isolated case, I would have chalked it up as an exception. However, further investigation by the CBC
revealed that in 2014-2015, credit-card fraud by public servants was estimated at
$180,000, occurring at least 76 times.
Reportedly, in most cases, at least part of the loss has been
recovered. For sure! Let’s hear it for effective sanctions! Here we go, round and round on the
merry-go-round.
- B. J. T. Pepin
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