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Woman sentenced for stealing nearly $118,000

A Prince George woman was sentenced Friday to an 18-month conditional sentence followed by two years probation for stealing nearly $118,000 from her employer.
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A Prince George woman was sentenced Friday to an 18-month conditional sentence followed by two years probation for stealing nearly $118,000 from her employer.

For seven to eight years, ending in 2013, Valarie Ruth Chapdelaine, 61, was submitting false invoices for services and goods to Northern Health and then keeping the money. The amounts were small but added up, provincial court judge Danny Sudeyko said in delivering his sentencing decision.

When she was finally caught, she immediately confessed and fully cooperated with investigators, "and has essentially said she was relieved that her double life was at an end," said Sudeyko.

Chapdelaine, whose exact position at Northern Health was not specified, as an otherwise lawful and socially-responsible person who "lost her moral compass." That she committed the crime came as a shock to her co-workers.

The trigger was a need to provide support to a daughter who was suffering from depression and was thinking of moving to Pennsylvania to start up a relationship with someone she had met over the internet. For Chapdelaine, it also would have meant seeing her two young grandchildren leave Prince George.

That came on top of the death of her mother, who she had cared for for two years, and a falling out with her siblings. It added up to a series of traumatic events during which Chapdelaine saw a need to support her daughter and keep her at home and an opportunity to raise the money to do so by submitting the false invoices.

"Less explainable is the fact that that behaviour continued," Studeyko said. "The suggestion here is that having achieved that [keeping her daughter in Prince George], she saw the opportunity and continued to take that opportunity."

In all, Chapdelaine stole $117,968.06, which Studeyko said is a large amount of money taken over a lengthy period of time and through a "sophisticated, planned and deceptive act." However, he also noted she pleaded guilty, has no previous criminal record and has since taken counselling and continues to do so.

"It is clear that there is no real risk of repetition here," Studeyko said.

Chapdelaine was able to land another job but subsequently left the position over her concern she would tarnish the business's reputation. Now relying on a pension, she was ordered to pay back what she owes at a rate of $200 per month, which can be increased if she finds employment once more.

Less the premium for the claim, insurance has covered the loss to Northern Health, the court was told.

Chapdelaine's sentence, which will be served at home, includes house arrest for the first six months followed by a general curfew for the next six.