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Former YG employee pleads guilty to fraud charges

Michael Kipkuiri, 34, maintains a not guilty plea on charges of theft.
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Interior of Whitehorse court room on April 6, 2018. (File Photo)

A former employee of the Yukon’s Department of Finance has pleaded guilty of defrauding the territorial government out of thousands of dollars in 2018 and 2019.

Michael Kipkuiri, 34, entered guilty pleas to six charges of employing deceit or falsehood to defraud the government of less than $5,000.

The frauds were among 14 alleged criminal code offences that Kipkuiri would be charged with following his November 2019 arrest.

Police arrested him after receiving reports of government cheques being fraudulently deposited in bank accounts outside the territory.

“Investigators determined that Mr. Kipkirui, a Notary Public working in the Finance Department of the Yukon Territory Government, had personal access to all outgoing cheques,” a 2019 police statement about the investigation reads.

Kipkuiri was released shortly after his arrest. Court documents show that he breached the release order by failing to show up for trial as scheduled on Jan. 11.

Two charges against Kipkuiri, for fraud and theft exceeding $5,000, were stayed.

Kipkirui is maintaining not guilty pleas for the six charges of theft under $5,000 that he faces.

He will be back in court in April to fix a date for future court appearances.

Contact Jim Elliot at jim.elliot@yukon-news.com



Jim Elliot

About the Author: Jim Elliot

I’m a B.C. transplant here in Whitehorse at The News telling stories about the Yukon's people, environment, and culture.
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