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Ex-VSU director gets house arrest for forgery

“I want to apologize. … I’m ashamed of what I did," says Matthew White
WES Matthew White fraud
Former Westlock VSU manager Matthew White has been sentenced to nine months of house arrest, plus 120 hours of community service following his guilty plea to one count of using a forged document.
WESTLOCK - The former program manager at the Westlock Victim Services Unit who defrauded his employer says he did it because of his gambling addiction.

Matthew White, also a one-time mayor of the Village of Clyde, will be on house arrest for the next nine months, and another six months on curfew. He was sentenced in Westlock Provincial Court Dec. 23 after he pleaded guilty to one count of use of forged document while the circuit court was moved to St. Albert.

He’ll have to do 120 hours of community service to rebuild trust — his probation officer suggested a donation as an alternative, which the Crown deemed “too easy.” He’ll have to continue rehab treatments for gambling and other underlying issues.

The amount of money White stole wasn’t disclosed, but he was originally charged with fraud over $5,000. The Crown said he’s making restitution efforts, which highlighted his remorse.

The joint submission considered White’s PTSD as a source of his gambling addiction. The Crown argued that while gambling is not an exceptional circumstance, his years of service with the Canadian Armed Forces were.

The 31-year-old served in Korea and Libya, his lawyer said, through some “difficult events” where he saw death first-hand, which contributed to his PTSD and depression. Still, “Mr. White’s freedoms do need to be restricted,” the Crown said.

“I want to apologize. … I’m ashamed of what I did. I can’t take back what I did but I can offer an apology,” White said in court.

In a victim impact statement, members of the Westlock VSU wrote they felt “betrayed” by someone they considered a friend, that White’s actions had professional repercussions, and they were concerned the VSU wouldn’t be trusted as a result.

Andreea Resmerita, TownandCountryToday.com

 

 

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