A Tilbury woman charged with defrauding the United Way of Chatham-Kent of about $300,000 will work on getting a lawyer before returning to court next month.
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Veronica Whittal, 48, made a brief appearance in a Chatham court Monday morning. Duty counsel told the court Whittal needs to apply for legal aid. Her matter was adjourned to March 26.
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Whittal was charged on Feb. 21 with fraud over $5,000.
Chatham-Kent police began looking into the matter on Sept. 29, 2023.
“As a result of a thorough investigation, which included analysis of records dating from Oct. 8, 2021, to Oct. 20, 2022, an arrest was made,” on Feb. 2, police said.
The United Way announced in October 2023 it filed a civil action against a former employee.
According to court documents filed in Ontario Superior Court, the charitable organization is trying to recover $292,614.
The United Way said it went to police after a “thorough investigation,” guided by an auditor.
The agency noted it strengthened security protocols.
“We deeply appreciate the trust and support of our donors during this time and want to assure them that we are working tirelessly to resolve this situation,” Maureen Geddes, United Way of Chatham-Kent interim chief executive, said in a release.
With files from Trevor Terfloth
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