A 51-year-old woman is appearing in provincial court next week for allegedly defrauding the Special Olympics BC Society chapter in Williams Lake.
RCMP received a complaint in October last year involving the society that is established in 60 BC communities, including 13 branches in Northern BC.
“Investigation has shown that between August 2016 and August 2017, the Williams Lake chapter of the Special Olympics British Columbia Society was the victim of internal fraud by their treasurer Dianne Lee,” said North District RCMP Corporal Madonna Saunderson in a news release.
“It is alleged that Lee forged signatures on multiple cheques for personal gain.”
Lee has been charged with the following:
- 11 counts of Utter Forged Cheques
- 1 count of Fraud over $5,000
- 1 count of Theft over $5,000
She is scheduled to appear in Williams Lake Provincial Court on Wednesday, August 29th to fix a date.
“The far-reaching effects of fraud impacts many people and can be long-lasting,” said Inspector Jeff Pelley of the Williams Lake RCMP Detachment.
The BC Special Olympics noted on its web page that Williams Lake recently got their programs back up and running because of the passion the athletes have for Special Olympics.
Local coordinator Sue Means told MyCaribooNow while she cannot comment on the matter, she could confirm that Lee is no longer involved with the Williams Lake chapter.
“We are bound and determined to ensure that no athlete in Williams Lake will be impacted by this,” said Dan Howe, President and CEO of Special Olympics British Columbia.
“Our provincial body will ensure that necessary funding is available for them to carry on as usual.”
– with files from Rebecca Kelli, My Cariboo Now
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