A Certified Professional Accountant and former Brighton resident will do jail time after pleading guilty to stealing almost $100,000 from two Brighton non-profit charitable organizations.
In a Cobourg courtroom Monday, Madam Justice Lisa Cameron sentenced 41-year-old Michael Nicholson to 12 months in prison, three years probation, counselling and other conditions. Also, he must repay the Presqu’ile Point Lighthouse Preservation Society over $54,000 and the Brighton Auxiliary Rescue Unit over $26,000 over a six-year period.
Nicholson has already repaid $7,500 to each organization. He was volunteer treasurer for both groups.
Justice Cameron allowed Nicholson some time to get his personal affairs together and he will begin his jail sentence on June 10 after another court appearance.
He had previously admitted to having a serious online gambling problem and it was heavy losses from that addiction that led him to become desperate for money.
The crimes were committed between June 2017 and January of 2018. Nicholson self-confessed and quickly pleaded guilty to the charges, one count of breach of trust and two counts of fraud over $5,000.
Justice Cameron called Nicholson’s crimes a “major fraud” and a “serious breach of trust”.
“Professionals, such as accountants, are held to a higher standard of ethics. They have greater responsibility and accountability. These crimes have not only hurt these charitable organizations financially but stained their reputation in the community. They have stained the reputation of the accounting profession.”
“However, you did self-confess and you did cooperate with police and pleaded guilty quickly to avoid a trial. You are getting help with your gambling problem and you have made an effort to repay the money stolen. Your life is in total disarray but you are trying to regroup,” said Justice Cameron.
The Crown had been seeking a jail sentence of 12 to 15 months.
Nicholson’s defence attorney asked for a 90-day intermittent jail sentence.
Outside of the courtroom the Chair of the Presqu’ile Point Lighthouse Preservation Society, Dave Sharp, said the sentence was reasonable.
“He betrayed our trust and he didn’t cooperate with us even after admitting the frauds. He hurt us badly. We lost members, we lost a major donation that was about to come our way. Luckily, Brighton is a forgiving and generous community. We’re on the comeback trail and donations are coming back and we expect to get a lot of work done on the lighthouse over the next several months.”
Last week it was announced Nicholson had lost his membership in the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario for five years after being found guilty of professional misconduct.
The organization also fined him $40,000.
