WINNIPEG — A Winnipeg woman charged with concealing the remains of dead infants in a storage locker has pleaded guilty to unrelated charges of fraud and breach of probation.
Andrea Giesbrecht entered the pleas in a Winnipeg courtroom on Monday.
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She admitted to defrauding Manitoba’s Employment and Income Assistance program of over $5,000 and to attending a casino even though she was ordered not to go anywhere gambling may take place by a probation order.
Over the span of several months in 2011 and 2012 she received payments from MEIA based on information she provided that she knew to be false.
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Her lawyer said a crippling gambling addiction is to blame and that Giesbrecht believes gambling has caused her to lose more than $650,000 throughout her life.
“It’s been devastating, It’s caused economic hardship. It’s affected the relationship with her family, with her neighbours,” said Matt Gould.
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Giesbrecht also pleaded guilty to going to McPhillips Casino in defiance of a probation order.
The order came from Giesbrecht’s previous fraud conviction.
In that case, she was given a suspended sentence and two years probation in 2014 after admitting to borrowing money from an elderly neighbor and paying her back with bounced cheques.
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Gould argued for a 30-day sentence in relation to Monday’s guilty pleas while protectors asked for a five month sentence.
The judge adjourned the case and said she needed more information to be submitted before ruling.
Giesbrecht has been out of custody on bail since last spring.
She is expected to go on trial in relation to infant remains charges in April.
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