WINNIPEG -- Winnipeg police have charged a Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries employee who allegedly defrauded the Crown corporation of more than $275,000 over two years.
On March 2, Winnipeg police charged 51-year-old Lori Ann Mann with fraud and theft over $5,000, laundering proceeds of crime, and mischief to data.
The charges have not been proven in court.
Police said the charges come after Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries (MBLL) contacted the financial crimes unit in May 2019 to report they believed an employee in the Casino Tours Department had been committing fraud and theft since April 2017.
"Casinos of Winnipeg provides tour packages to casinos and hires various companies to provide bus transportation," police said in a news release on Friday, adding part of the bus operator's payment is determined by the number of people on each tour.
"Invoices and computer data were altered to show inflated passenger counts, and falsified trips were created, resulting in overpayments to several tour bus companies."
Police said the tour companies were not aware they were being overpaid, and the tour operators didn't suspect anything when they were told to make payments to the person based on their existing businesses relationship. Police said the person also owned a bus company.
There were more than 300 cases of fraud, theft and money-laundering between April 2017 and April 2019 – defrauding MBLL of more than $275,000, police said.
Police said the transactions were found after MBLL conducted an audit.
This is a developing story. More to come.
