By Taylor MacPherson

Former Garden River administrator charged with fraud

Oct 14, 2016 | 2:20 PM

Details have surfaced regarding an administrative scandal in the Village of Meath Park.

Former administrator Elaine Esopkeno, who oversaw the books for both Meath Park and the R.M. of Garden River No. 490, is facing fraud charges after serious discrepancies were discovered in the village financial records last spring.

“There were concerns within council that we had some issues,” Deputy Mayor Michael Hydamacka said. “So we looked into it a little bit deeper and found some things of concern.”

According to Hydamacka, who is acting as Meath Park mayor until their Oct. 26 election, a closer examination of the village finances turned up enough issues to justify the involvement of the RCMP.

“We took all the information, gathered everything we could, and gave them to the proper authorities,” he said. “[The RCMP] had laid charges against her, although we haven’t confirmed the exact nature of the charges.”

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According to court records, Esopenko faces four fraud-related charges, including fraud by a public official, and destroying or altering documents with intention to defraud. The most serious of those charges carries a prison term of up to 14 years.

Esopenko is scheduled to appear before a Nipawin court Nov. 9.

The full extent of the alleged fraud is unknown, but a source within the R.M. who asked to remain anonymous estimated that the Village was defrauded for more than $60,000.

A motion put forward at a May 31 special council meeting confirms Meath Park opened their books to “authorized authorities” in connection to the investigation of Esopenko.

“We’re just kind of waiting for confirmation on things,” Hydamacka said.

Esopenko’s involvement with the R.M. of Garden River is less clear.

At a May 24 special council meeting, Councillor Ian Kosik brought forward a successful motion to suspend Esopenko without pay.

Kosik declined to comment on the situation, and did not respond to specific questions regarding Esopenko’s current status as an employee of the R.M., or if her alleged fraudulent activities extended to Garden River finances as well as Meath Park.

According to administrator Brenda Moberg, Esopenko remains an employee of the R.M., but remains suspended without pay. Esopenko was laid off by Meath Park in April, a decision which Hydamacka said was not connected to the allegations against her. Since April, administrative services for the village have been contracted to the R.M.

The allegations have not yet been tested before the courts.
 

Taylor.macpherson@jpbg.ca

@TMacPhersonNews