Federal government consultant charged in $250,000 timesheet fraud scheme

An Ottawa advisor has been charged pinch overbilling nan national authorities $250,000 by allegedly submitting fraudulent timesheets connected contracts for 18 months, nan RCMP said Tuesday.

Clara Elaine Visser, 63, was charged pinch 1 count of fraud complete $5,000, contrary to Section 380(1) of nan Criminal Code of Canada.

Visser is scheduled to look astatine nan Ottawa Courthouse Sept. 6, nan RCMP said.

Visser reportedly held a authorities information clearance for her work, but that was suspended connected June 28, 2021. Her clearance was permanently revoked successful September, 2023, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) said successful a statement.

The fraud complaint was laid pursuing a probe by nan RCMP Federal Policing’s Sensitive and International Investigations Unit (SII). It is portion of a broader national effort to curtail authorities statement fraud.

PSPC said it first launched its ain an soul investigation into nan advisor aft learning that nan fishy had performed subcontract activity pinch 8 abstracted national departments and Crown corporations done 8 different premier contractors.

PSPC referred its findings to nan RCMP, which said Tuesday that its ain members obtained statements from nan 8 premier contractors while examining and analyzing Visser’s timesheets.

Evidence allegedly indicates that nan advisor submitted fraudulent timesheets that resulted successful overbilling by an estimated $250,000 betwixt Jan. 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021, constabulary said.

The Mounties said their investigation allegedly confirmed that Visser had overbilled nan Government of Canada connected an unspecified number of abstracted contracts.

Visser could not instantly beryllium reached for comment.

The RCMP and nan government’s procurement limb some said nan Visser investigation is simply a awesome illustration of collaboration betwixt nan constabulary and nan section to stamp retired alleged fraud.

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“It demonstrates that we are committed to keeping our federation safe, by protecting nan integrity of nan national authorities and preventing nan maltreatment of taxpayers’ dollars,” said Supt. Jeremie Landry, Officer successful Charge, Sensitive and International Investigations Unit, RCMP Central Region.

PSPC said successful its ain connection that nan RCMP’s announcement “indicates nan authorities will not tolerate forbidden activities and will bring fraudulent billing schemes to justice.”

Because nan lawsuit is earlier nan courts, PSPC declined to supply further specifications astir what benignant of contracts Visser performed subcontract activity for. But nan lawsuit is not believed to beryllium related to nan Arrive Can Covid-19 recreation app spending scandal.