Ex-employee pleads guilty to defrauding United Way of $300K+

A former United Way of Chatham-Kent employee has pleaded guilty to fraud over $5,000 after the local agency discovered it had been defrauded of more than $300,000.

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Veronica Whittal, 49, of Tilbury, entered a guilty plea in a Chatham court Friday.

An agreed statement of facts presented by assistant Crown attorney Kate Bailey noted that on Oct. 2, 2023, the local United Way’s acting chief executive turned over documents from an independent audit that found the agency had been defrauded via electronic fund transfers between Oct. 8 , 2021, and Oct. 20, 2022.

Whittal allegedly created email addresses similar to those of vendors associated with the United Way and e-transferred false payments totaling $302,341.37 that were deposited to her own bank account, court heard.

Chatham-Kent police got access to Whittal’s bank records by judicial order and United Way confirmed her bank account, the Crown said, adding police agreed the accused had taken the money from the agency.

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Whittal’s lawyer, Ken Marley, requested his client remain out of custody while a pre-sentence report is completed.

Crown and defense are “contemplating a joint recommendation for a conditional sentence,” he added.

Whittal “admits her guilt and waives her right to trial,” Marley said, adding she understands even with a joint submission, the sentencing decision is up to the judge.

Before a pre-sentence report was ordered, Marley submitted a number of letters to the court including one from the Canadian Mental Health Association confirming his client’s participation in counseling.

Other letters confirmed Whittal had completed a residential gambling addiction program and committed to an after-care program at a Windsor hospital and had participated in mental health and addictions counseling at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance.

Whittal is slated to return to court on Jan. 15, 2025 for a sentencing hearing.

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