CANADA
CBC News
Posted: Jul 4, 2012
Shock and frustration is running through a Catholic parish in Ottawa after its former priest was charged with defrauding the church of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Joseph LeClair, 55, has been charged with one count each of fraud over $5,000 and theft over $5,000, as well as criminal breach of trust and laundering proceeds of crime.
LeClair, who originally hails from Prince Edward Island, is alleged to have misappropriated more than $240,000 in cheques from the parish between January 2006 and May 2011.
Police also allege $160,000 in cash revenues were unaccounted for, while about $20,000 in furniture and household items belonging to the parish were taken from the rectory when LeClair left.
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