Handling Money

So then, what do you call someone who is an unrepentant and skilled serial thief?  Well, if you're her lawyer representing her in a court of law you tell the judge that your client is 'impulsive', suffers from bi-polar disorder and depression, and is in desperate need of help, not a lengthy period of confinement in a jail cell.

Glenda O'Hara, 56 years of age, must have been quite the skilled bookkeeper.  So skilled she was able to pick up jobs with no problem whatever.  Trusted and obviously liked by the people with whom she did business, her business included benefiting herself hugely by betraying the trust of those who hired her.  She was a fraud artist par excellence.

She is currently awaiting sentencing for defrauding the Canadian Council of Archives, where she worked as a payroll manager.  She pleaded guilty to relieving the non-profit of $140,000.

And whoops, she has admitted she is also guilty of having stolen operating funds from the hard-done-by Opera Lyra.  So strapped for operating funds they were forced to cancel performances as a result of funding shortfalls.  Opera Lyra advised that the money Ms. O'Hara took - $11,437 - from them represented 20% of their cash on hand.

Oddly enough when the company halted performances in mid-November in Ottawa, they had to cut some jobs, but hers was not among those employees who lost a position with them.  Opera Lyra's director of finance happened to notice a newspaper report relating to Ms. O'Hara's sentencing on the earlier fraud charge, before discovering they had been victimized by her as well.

While she was clearing guilt off her chest Ms. O'Hara admitted to stealing $5,762 from Ottawa Towing.  She had also admitted to a psychiatrist that she had previously stolen $20,000 from the Metis National Council.  And an additional $40,000 from the Canadian Produce Marketing Association.

While portraying herself as a reliable and expert bookkeeper, it appears her real profession was hoodwinking and beggaring those companies who took her on trustfully as an employee to handle their financial affairs.

At her earlier sentencing hearing Ms. O'Hara in tears, told Ontario Court Justice Ann Alder she was good at her job at Opera Lyra.  The day before, she had cashed a cheque she had written to herself.

Prosecutor Matthew Geigen-Miller recommends an order under new legislation banning Ms. O'Hara from handling anyone's money ever again.  In addition to three years' probation.  Oh and up to two years in prison...?