Coquitlam Little League treasurer who allegedly stole $150,000 charged with fraud

The former treasurer of Coquitlam Little League has been charged said RCMP after nearly a quarter of a million dollars were found to be missing from the league's accounts in 2020.

Coquitlam RCMP said on that Wednesday charges were approved against Terri Michael, 65. She is facing one count of fraud over $5,000 and one count of theft over $5,000, according to a Friday news release.

Nearly $227,000 was discovered missing from league accounts in August 2020.

RCMP said Wednesday's charges are related to $150,000 Michael is alleged to have taken, and that the exact amount could change during the court process. 

"Our investigators worked diligently throughout this two-and half-year investigation to gather evidence, identify and interview witnesses and support charges," Sergeant Karrie Ellis said in the release.

Michael served as the little league's treasurer from September 2014 to August 2020, according to RCMP.

In August 2020, the league made a fraud report to RCMP after discovering $150,000 missing from its accounts.

The RCMP's initial investigation that month determined nearly $227,000 dollars in total was missing.

Financial statements from June showed $229,971 in financial assets, while less than $3,000 remained in the account, League president Sandon Fraser said at the time.

Fraser said the problem surfaced when club members reported they had not received refunds when the spring 2020 baseball season was cancelled due to the pandemic. The league serves about 800 children and youth ages 4 to 17.

"We are thankful that a conclusion to the RCMP investigation has been reached," Fraser said in a Friday news release. "This conclusion will help [Coquitlam Little League] continue to heal and move forward from the incident."

Michael has been released pending her next court appearance in Port Coquitlam Provincial Court on May 19.

Organizational fraud has robbed Canadian youth sports groups of nearly $8M in past decade

4 years ago

Duration 4:23

CBC Sports reporter Jamie Strashin speaks with Jacqueline Doorey about his latest investigation into fraud in youth sports organizations across Canada.

Fraud not uncommon

Coquitlam Little League is not the only Canadian youth sports organization to be defrauded in recent years.

Similar organizations across Canada lost at least $8 million and at least ten B.C. organizations were victimized between 2010 and 2020, a CBC Sports investigation found.

In 2012, the former treasurer of the Richmond Soccer Association in British Columbia was sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of stealing more than $200,000 over five years. 

The largest single case was $2.4 million taken over six months from Ontario Minor Hockey Association accounts by its director of finance, who had been at the position for 16 years.

This type of fraud, most often committed by adult volunteers with sole control over finances, leaves sports organizations, players and families across Canada reeling, the investigation found.