In this article, Jesuits of Canada suing Guelph couple for $7.2M: Jesuits of Canada says its former director of finance stole funds he and his wife then used to live the high life, the Jesuits of Canada are accusing a former staff person and his wife in a lawsuit of innapropriately enriching themselves off the charity. None of the allegations from the Jesuits of Canada have been proven in court.
Guelph today notes:
It’s claimed that at least $3.5 million was misappropriated between 2018 and 2024, including $3.3 million in credit card payments, $177,000 in cheques payable to Barry Leidl and deposited in the couples’ accounts and $45,000 in tuition and student debt for their adult children.
He’s also alleged to have diverted more than $300,000 from other Jesuits of Canada accounts and submitted “improper” expenses for reimbursement, including travel costs and hotel accommodations for himself, members of his family and others.
As reported in the statement of claim, when Barry Leidl was confronted by the Jesuits’ about their findings, he acknowledged there are “things that need to (be) remedied and I will do everything I can to make things right financially.”
It cannot be emphasized enough that non-profits and charities need to take internal controls seriously and need to check that their internal controls are working.