July 2012, Ottawa
The CBC reports that in July of 2012, Father Joseph LeClair of Blessed Sacrament Church in Ottawa, pleaded guilty to charges of theft and fraud, amounting to nearly $130,000 in total.
When charged with one count of fraud over $5,000 and another of theft over $5,000, the priest plead guilty. LeClair had been charged with two other charges- breach of trust, and laundering of the proceeds of these crimes, however, later these charges had been dropped.
Despite these charges that LeClair faces, the Archbishop Terence Prendergast of Ottawa, stated that the Archdiocese would support him in his recovery. Prendergast also stated that LeClair was courageous in admitting his difficulties with addiction in a public way.
An audit conducted by the Archdiocese of Ottawa came after a report demonstrated that LeClair had accumulated high credit card bills. The Archdiocese had lodged a complaint with police in August 2011 after the audit had been completed. From the time period of 2006 to 2011, fraud investigators had researched the discrepancies in the report.
The fraud investigators and police alleged that $240,000 were misappropriated funds in the forms of cheques from the parish, $160,000 in cash revenue, and $20,000 in the form of furniture and household items were the totals of the money unaccounted for.
Without the popular priest present at Blessed Sacrament, the church’s attendance has started to go down. LeClair’s parishioners say that they stand with him and support him after LeClair admitted to his gambling addiction and struggles with depression.
The church’s financial situation improved after receiving donations resulting in nearly half a million dollars.