(Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge woman pleads not guilty to stealing $580,000 from U of L

Dec 8, 2021 | 11:25 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – A long-time employee of the University of Lethbridge (U of L) has declared herself not guilty of defrauding the organization out of a significant amount of money.

On Tuesday, the lawyer for Donna Court, 57, entered pleas on her behalf of fraud over $5,000, theft over $5,000, and possession of stolen property over $5,000.

In March 2018, members of the U of L discovered fraud perpetrated by a fellow employee.

The investigation by LPS found that Court allegedly “abused her detailed knowledge of the financial systems of the U of L and falsified records to conceal the estimated theft of $580,000.”

According to police, the thefts occurred over more than a one-year period.

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She had more than 30 years of experience at the university.

The academic institution has since recovered the vast majority of the missing funds through an agreement with its insurer.

Court has elected to have a judge-alone trial in Lethbridge Court of Queen’s Bench.

Her next scheduled appearance is on January 10, 2022, for an arraignment hearing.