Additional charges laid against fake nurse Brigitte Cleroux on Vancouver Island

Accused fake nurse Brigitte Cleroux is facing additional charges stemming from her time working in Greater Victoria.

West Shore RCMP confirmed in an email to CTV News Thursday that Cleroux has been charged with one count each of fraud over $5,000, impersonation, use of forged documents and assault.

The charges are "in relation to a medical facility in View Royal," according to the detachment.

CTV News has previously reported that Cleroux worked at View Royal Surgical Centre for three weeks in November 2020. 

She has also been accused of using the name of a real nurse while treating patients at B.C. Women's Hospital in Vancouver from June 2020 to June 2021, and is facing charges for that activity as well. 

Last year, she was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to similar offences in Ontario. The charges against Cleroux in B.C. have not been proven in court.

Ontario courts heard Cleroux posed as a nurse to gain employment at a fertility clinic, dental clinic and medical clinic between July and August 2021, and that her duties included administering injections and medications.

Her employment at the fertility clinic ended after she was confronted by a nurse who was concerned about the way she cared for patients.

While authorities began investigating Cleroux, she managed to find work at two other clinics – but she was arrested after returning to the fertility clinic for her last paycheque.

Her ability to continuously find employment has raised concerns about hiring practices in health-care settings – particularly given there are disturbing public allegations about the convict that date back more than a decade.

The College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta issued a warning about Cleroux back in 2010, noting that she was already then wanted for impersonating a registered nurse in multiple provinces.

Cleroux was never qualified to practice as a nurse, the college said.

Just last month a B.C. Supreme Court justice certified a class action proceeding against the Provincial Health Services Authority over Cleroux's employment at B.C. Women's Hospital. 

At B.C. Women's, Cleroux was directly involved in the care of 899 patients and indirectly involved in the treatment of another 258 individuals, according to patient disclosure notices the PHSA provided to the court.

West Shore RCMP said it would not be providing any additional information about the charges against Cleroux on Vancouver Island, as the matter is now before the courts.

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Ben Nesbit, Becca Clarkson, Alissa Thibault and Andrew Weichel