Need details about fraud laws within Alberta

[Chiggles]

Couldn't find anything with the Search feature about this, so hopefully someone on this board is a Law major or has some experience with the topic to help me out.

A few buddies of mine at work have been terminated recently with just cause. I can't go into details about why or how, but the bottom line was that they were fired for committing fraud through the company. Even though they've been fired, our head office has informed them that charges may be laid pending further investigation. My question is what consequences can result from this when the matter is finally closed??

Obviously, there would be a record if convicted, they've already been banned from the company for life and any assets/investments they had with the company have been seized, probably a fine to pay.... what else? Does anyone know if this is an offence punishable by imprisonment or does it depend on the value of the fraud??? I don't think they could go to jail for it, but I just want to make sure cuz a lot of us in our circle are freaking out. The amount was somewhere between $1000 to $3500 for each individual.

If anyone is knowledgable in this area, please help.

[B17a]

The best thing to do is get your buddies to get proper legal advice. I wouldn't want to go to sleep at night thinking advice I got off a car forum was 100% air tight.:thumbsup:

[TrevorK]

There is most likely the POTENTIAL for jailtime, but it's all dependant on variables that are unknown until charged (Evidence, lawyer, etc....)...

[Khyron]

Of course fraud is a criminal offence. Assuming they are charged, jail is a possible sentence. But it really depends on the amount, prior convictions, length of time, remorse, etc. Over 1000$ is big time, so they should be freaking out. Is this their first offence?

Khyron

[Chiggles]

Yes, it was their first offence. Length of offence was done over the past holidays... so say beginning of mid December and lasted for about a month or so. Remorse isn't a question, they're really great guys that just got caught up and carried away with a hole that they found in our system.

No lawyers have been involved so far from either parties (neither my friends, nor the company's). The matter was dealt with by the company's own regional resource protection authority. Evidence consists of a paper trail in which benefits that were meant for clients were exchanged for something else, but the intended benefits were retained by my buddies after transactions had been processed. These benefits were then re-sold separately outside of the company and/or were used by my buddies for their own personal transactions. Looking back at it now, the company never had anything explicit or concrete to prove that they had been keeping these benefits for their own gain except for suspicious accusations due to the benefits showing up on their own transactions, but 1 or all of the accused cracked under pressure and they confessed.

So having known that there was evidence to support their suspicion, and to have the company suspicion proven by virtue of confession, if the company decides to take further action and press charges, and if found guilty through court proceedings, what can any of you Beyonders knowledgable on the subject tell me about what can happen to them?

[eljefe]

A criminal record, having to make resitution and possible jail time and/or probation.