Robert Riley Saunders, a former Kelowna social worker, is now facing 13 charges for fraud, theft, breach of trust and forging documents.
The Kelowna RCMP announced the charges today, adding that Saunders was taken into custody in Alberta.
Saunders was employed with the Ministry of Children and Family Development between 1996
and 2018.
In court documents filed in July 2020, the ministry laid out a multi-million dollar settlement for more than 100 victims of Saunders.
Those victims have alleged that Saunder’s actions caused them to become homeless due to him misappropriating funds allocated for rent.
In addition to misappropriating funds, he also allegedly failed to provide supports such as counselling and mental health and addictions resources.
“This was a lengthy and laborious investigation, led by the Fraud Section of the Kelowna RCMP Serious Crime Unit,” says Supt. Kara Triance, Officer in Charge of the Kelowna RCMP.
“We are pleased to be able to report back to the community that the matter has now advanced into the judicial process.”
Following a review of the investigation, the BC Prosecution Service has approved 13 charges against Saunders, including 10 counts of fraud over $5,000, one count of theft over $5,000, one count of breach of trust and one count of uttering a forged document.
Saunders has been remanded into custody and will be brought back to appear before the Kelowna Provincial Court next week.
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