Former First Nations University official charged with fraud

Police in Saskatchewan have charged a former administrator at the First Nations University of Canada, following an investigation into financial irregularities.

RCMP issued a release yesterday saying that a 57-year-old man, formerly of Regina, is accused of defrauding the university of a sum exceeding $5,000 and will appear in court on July 21.

Sergeant Carole Raymond, RCMP spokesperson, said police will not be releasing the man’s name until he appears in court.

Sgt. Raymond also refused to say whether the man is a current or former employee of the university, saying that doing so would identify him.

"There’s only one person who would be in that position," Sgt. Raymond said.

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However, Al Ducharme, vice-president of administration and finance, confirmed late yesterday that the man was a former employee.

"He was part of the major administration of the university. That’s all I can really say," Ducharme said.

Ducharme said the charges stemmed from an audit the university conducted in 2005.

He said the results of that audit were of a nature that the university felt it had to call in the RCMP.

In 2005, three senior officials were suspended and the university’s board of governors ordered a forensic audit of the school’s finances.

Two officials were eventually fired for cause, while the third returned to work.

In the months that followed, several high-ranking officials were fired or suspended, while others resigned.

- The Canadian Press