A Kelowna woman is on trial in the Supreme Court of B.C. for charges of fraud over $5,000 and theft over $5,000, after allegedly stealing approximately $1.8 million from her employers.
Carey Earl is accused of stealing from Access Human Resources, a community support agency that provides services and support to people with cognitive and physical disabilities, between 2010 and 2018.
Access Human Resources initially filed a Civil Suit against Earl in the Supreme Court of B.C., in November 2018, approximately two months after allegedly discovering inconsistencies in the bookkeeping.
The lawsuit states that Earl, who was working as the company’s bookkeeper, “misappropriated electronic transfers to her, her business and her family’s accounts.”
In February 2019, Earl filed a response to the Civil Claim, and denied all allegations of theft, misappropriation and embezzlement. She also alleges that all transactions or payments made from corporate funds had to be approved by both herself, and the owner and operating director of the company, Cliff Andrsuko.
Earl alleges that it was “commonly understood” between herself and Andrsuko “that company funds would be used for their personal benefit.” Also in the response, Earl stated that if she stole, misappropriated or embezzled funds, Andrsuko would have agreed to the alleged acts as he was also engaging in similar conduct and behaviour.
In 2022, Crown filed criminal charges against Earl.
In Kelowna court on Oct. 17, Andrsuko took the stand as a witness, for the second day, in what is to be an eight day criminal case. Earl will be tried by judge and jury.
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