Edmonton couple charged in connection with $500K in fraudulent activities

The Edmonton Police Service charged a couple with fraud Friday in relation to a complaint from a company.

A lengthy investigation by EPS Economic Crime Section found that a former employee of an Edmonton-based machinery equipment company allegedly redirected marketing and advertising funds from the company to personal accounts.

Police said between 2000 and 2006, Mark Edward Vandenhouten, 46, was believed to have used a number of methods to commit over half a million dollars in fraud, including:

• False billings to company issued credit cards.
• Creation of false identities to facilitate fraudulent payments for non-business or illegitimate purposes.
• Fraudulent billings for non-commissionable sales.
• Fraudulent payments to personal online payment accounts for non-business purposes.
• Fraudulent concealment and conversion of monies between online payment accounts of his spouse.

Mark and his wife Sheryl Dawn Vandenhouten were arrested Sept. 9 2016, and were both charged with fraud over $5,000, theft over $5,000 and laundering proceeds of crime.

The Vanderhoutens’ first court appearance is Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016.