Victoria woman sentenced to prison for embezzling $340K from employer
A Victoria woman who admitted to skimming more than $340,000 from her employer has been sentenced to three years in prison.
Melissa Cielen, a 49-year-old paralegal and office manager, pleaded guilty to embezzling the money from her lawyer boss over the course of four years, from 2018 to 2022.
Writing in his sentencing decision published Tuesday, provincial court Judge Ted Gouge says Cielen had worked in the same law office since 2010, where her duties included paying the company's bills.
Cielen was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2018 and began to abuse alcohol and cocaine thereafter, according to the judge's decision.
To support those habits, Cielen made payments to herself, disguising them as routine office expenses for things like court fees and furniture, according to the decision. Those fraudulent payments totalled $343,077.28 before she was caught.
A forensic psychiatrist who assessed Cielen for a presentencing report found no evidence that she suffers from a major mental illness or mood disorder. Cielen did report experiencing "some depressive symptoms," which the psychiatrist found were "primarily related to uncertainty and stress related to the court proceedings," according to the assessment.
Cielen, who has no prior criminal history, according to the judge, was at a low risk to reoffend, the psychiatrist wrote.
The Crown prosecutor in the case sought a three-year prison term, while Cielen's defence lawyer proposed a conditional sentence of two years less a day.
Both sides agreed Cielen should be ordered to repay the money she took from her employer.
The judge wrote that deterrence was of utmost importance in Cielen's case, noting that her "substance abuse issues remain unresolved, and she has not availed herself of the counselling services offered to her."
A three-year prison term, as well as a restitution order to repay the money stolen, would be the most effective deterrence, the judge ruled.
"Deterrence, by its nature, is effective only in relation to potential offenders who consider their actions in advance," the judge wrote.
"Embezzlement is a crime which requires forethought and planning. In many cases, as in this one, it is carried out over a period of years."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Five years after toddler's brutal death, Northern Ont. family struggles to find peace, justice
A North Bay family is struggling to find peace and justice as the five-year anniversary of the brutal death of toddler Oliver McCarthy approaches.
Alberta RCMP officer charged with 2 counts of sexual assault
Const. Bridget Morla, a Leduc RCMP officer, has been charged with two counts of sexual assault in connection with an incident that happened two years ago.
Ontario dad removes hockey rink at heart of neighbour dispute
A Markham dad who drew the ire of neighbours and the city after installing a hockey rink in his backyard says the rink has now been taken down.
Kingston, Ont. doctor in 'disbelief' after being ordered to repay $600K for pandemic vaccination payments
An Ontario health tribunal has ordered a Kingston, Ont. doctor to repay over $600,000 to the Ontario government for improperly billing thousands of COVID-19 vaccinations at the height of the pandemic.
Canadian among three climbers missing on New Zealand's highest peak
A Canadian is among three climbers missing after they'd planned to climb New Zealand's highest peak.
Motivated by obsession: Canadians accused in botched California murder plot in police custody
Two Canadians are in police custody in Monterey County, California, after a triple stabbing police say was motivated by a B.C. man's obsession with a woman he played video games with online.
Trump demands immediate release of Oct. 7 hostages, says otherwise there will be 'HELL TO PAY'
President-elect Donald Trump is demanding the immediate release of the Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza, saying that if they are not freed before he is sworn into office there will be “HELL TO PAY."
Belly fat linked to signs of Alzheimer’s 20 years before symptoms begin, study says
As the size of a person’s belly grows, the memory centre of their brain shrinks and beta amyloid and tau may appear — all of this occurring as early as a person’s 40s and 50s, well before any cognitive decline is apparent, according to new research.
More RCMP and CBSA ‘human resources’ destined for border, Public Safety Minister LeBlanc says
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc says the federal government will 'absolutely' be adding more Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) and RCMP ‘human resources’ at the border.