Home / Crime and Justice / Service Canada Officer Jailed for $179K Pension Fraud
Service Canada Officer Jailed for $179K Pension Fraud
10 Jul
Summary
- Woman defrauded clients of $179,689 over four years.
- She abused a position of trust at Service Canada.
- Factors included addiction and a troubled past.
An Edmonton woman, Bonnie Lo, 45, has received an 18-month jail sentence for defrauding Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan clients of $179,689 over a four-year span. The Court of King's Bench noted her abuse of a position of trust as a Government of Canada employee responsible for distributing public funds.
Lo, a former Service Canada payment services officer, resigned in early 2017. An investigation revealed she had reissued and redirected 176 CPP and OAS payments, totaling the significant sum, into her personal bank account between October 2012 and December 2016.
The sentencing considered mitigating factors including Lo's guilty plea, a history of mental health issues, and a gambling addiction. However, the court also acknowledged aggravating factors such as the persistent nature of the offenses, the planning involved, the substantial financial loss, and a prior conviction for similar actions.
