Former CRA employee accused of stealing $20K in COVID-19 benefits

Alberta RCMP have arrested a former Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) employee who is accused of embezzling nearly $20,000 in COVID-19 benefits during the pandemic.

Police allege that while she was employed full-time at the CRA in Alberta, she obtained the money by claiming the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB).

The fraud began in April 2020 and continued to January 2021, RCMP allege, and police started investigating after the CRA referred the matter to police.

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Melissa Jensen Webb, a 39-year-old from Dawson City, Yukon, was arrested last Thursday and charged with:

• Fraud over $5,000 contrary to Section 380(1)(a) of the Criminal Code.
• Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 contrary to Section 355(a) of the Criminal Code.
• Mischief in relation to computer data contrary to Section 430(5) of the Criminal Code.
• Two counts of unauthorized use of a computer to commit fraud contrary to Section 342.1 of the Criminal Code.
• Two counts of breach of trust by a public officer contrary to Section 122 of the Criminal Code.
• Offence with respect to confidential information contrary to Section 239(2.2)(a) of the Income Tax Act.

The suspect is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 20.