The former Prince George and District Elizabeth Fry Society financial manager jailed last June for fraud over $5,000 was granted full parole upon eligibility March 29.
Rhonda Lee Bailey, 54, admitted to a provincial court judge that she made more than 1,000 fraudulent credit card transactions over five years, for $240,000 worth of personal vacations, flights, meals, hotels, makeup, clothing, and other miscellaneous purchases.
The embezzlement came to light after a May 2018 audit and Bailey was fired from the non-profit social services agency. She eventually pleaded guilty, was sent to jail for two-and-a-half years and ordered to pay back the $240,000 she pilfered.
The Parole Board of Canada (PBC) decision, by board members Lisa Graham and Lesley Monkman, said Bailey had been sent to an unidentified minimum security institution, granted day parole last December and is living independently in the basement of her employer.
PBC deemed Bailey a low risk to reoffend. She did not meet criteria for a psychological risk assessment and there is no information that indicates she suffers from mental health issues.
“In analyzing your risk, the board does not lose sight of the serious nature of your offence in which you abused your position of trust to defraud a non-profit agency of a significant amount of money,” the PBC decision said. “The board accepts that while the criteria for serious harm were not met, it was not just the organization that suffered loss, but also the vulnerable individuals who were to be supported with the funds you stole.”
The PBC website said eligibility is six months before full parole eligibility date or six months into the sentence, whichever is greater.
In Bailey’s case, PBC adopted the two Correctional Service Canada-recommended conditions, that she must provide documented financial information to the satisfaction of her parole supervisor and not to be in a position of responsibility, paid or unpaid, for the management of finances or investments for any other individual, charity, business or institution.
The PBC decision said Bailey has been “open and forthcoming” with her case management team and maintaining contact with her parents and children.
The Prince George and District Elizabeth Fry Society offers more than two dozen programs, including housing and counselling for women who are victims of domestic violence. The registered charity, which also serves Quesnel and Burns Lake, relies on funding from federal and provincial ministries, B.C. Housing, Northern Health and private donors.
At the sentencing hearing, Bailey’s lawyer read her statement of shame, regret and apology.
There was also a victim impact statement from a representative of the charity.
"All of us wondered what could have been done with the monies and how many more people that were asking for help we could've helped.”
With files from Mark Nielsen
