Woman charged with fraud and theft after embezzling from local business

We have charged a woman after it is believed she stole more than $575,000 from her employer over a four-year period.

From 2016 to 2023, the owner of a local orthotics and prosthetics company employed a woman as an office manager, who was responsible for bookkeeping, day-to-day administrative tasks and was the sole administrator of the company’s third-party payroll system. 

After seeing a previous Calgary Police Service media release distributed in 2023, the owner came forward to police to report one of their employees was believed to be embezzling money from the business.

In addition to the Calgary Police Service Economic Crimes Unit launching a criminal investigation, a third-party accounting firm conducted a forensic audit of the business’ finances from 2019 to 2023, where it was determined the employee had taken $576,963 without authorization.

The criminal activity is believed to have begun in 2019, when a member of the owner’s family had fallen ill, and the employee had increased access to the company’s finances.

The employee is believed to have embezzled the funds by making unauthorized payments and e-transfers to herself disguised as advances, reimbursements and bonuses, using the company credit card for 290 unauthorized transactions, and using company cheques to pay for personal items.

On Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, we arrested and charged Monika MANHAS, 46, of Gold River, B.C., with fraud over $5,000 and theft over $5,000.

She will next appear in court on Monday, March 3, 2025.

Anyone with information about this, or similar incidents, is asked to contact police by calling 403-266-1234. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers through any of the following methods:

TALK: 1-800-222-8477

TYPE: www.calgarycrimestoppers.org

APP: P3 Tips

CA23108234/4080