Former bookkeeper sentenced to 2 years in prison for defrauding clients

A Charlottetown man who defrauded two companies he worked for wassentenced to two years in prison during a hearingin P.E.I. Supreme Court Thursday.

Mark Christopher Raymer, 36, had pleaded guilty in an earlier court appearance to two counts of fraud over $5,000.

One of his victims, a Charlottetown house painting business, was defrauded of $26,000. Raymer did payroll and accounting work for the company.

Court heard he was supposed to pay the company's tax bill to the federal government. Instead he deposited the money into his own bank account.

The second victim, a business based in Nova Scotia, lost $34,000. Raymerwrote five fraudulent chequesto himself, including one the day after he was hired in March, 2018.

At a sentencing hearing July 28, the court heard Raymer had not paid back any of the money.

But those were not the first two businesses Raymer stole from. Among his previous victims: a children's camp,a non-profit film society, and a job placement firm.

Money paid back in previous cases

According to court records, Raymerwas fired from his job with a Charlottetownaccounting firm in 2016, after he stole $115,000 from one of the firm's clients, Camp Seggie.

The matter was settled out of court and Raymer paid $90,000 back to the non-profit children's camp. The remainder of the missingfunds were covered by anonymous donors. Raymerwas not charged criminally in that case.

While working for the same firm, Raymer obtained the banking information for the Charlottetown Film Society and transferred money without authorization into his own bank account. He pleaded guilty to fraud over $5,000 and paid back some of what he took from the non-profit organization.

Also in 2016, Raymer worked for an Islandjob placement firm thatmatched job seekers with employers. According to court documents, he created fictional clients and companiesand composed fake emailsin which they discussed job offers. Raymerpleaded guilty to defrauding the firm of $9,000 in unearned commissions.He sold his house to pay the money back.

In 2018, Raymer was sentenced to sixmonths in provincial jail inthose two cases.

'Profound impact' on victims

At Thursday's sentencing, Justice Gregory Cann accepted a joint recommendation from the Crown and defence lawyers for atwo-year sentence, meaning Raymer will serve his time in a federal prison. When he gets out, he'll be on probation for three years.

He is also banned for seven years from working at any job where he's responsible for money.

Cann said in both instances Raymer had abused a position of trust, and that his actions had a "profound impact" on not just his victims' finances but also the health of the owners involved.

In passing sentence, Canntold Raymer "the sand in the hourglass is running out quickly" and now is the time to turn his life around.

After the sentence was read outRaymerfought off tears. A man later identified as his father stepped forward carefully, making sure it was okay with a nearby police officer that he approach his son.

"You can do this and have a new beginning, a better future," the man said.

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