A consultant accused of defrauding the federal government by approximately $250,000 has been charged with fraud, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Clara Elaine Visser, 62, faces a single charge of fraud over $5,000.
The investigation began in the summer of 2021 when Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) launched a probe into a federal consultant working across eight different federal government departments and Crown corporations. Evidence indicated that Visser submitted fraudulent timesheets, resulting in overbilling estimated at $250,000 from January 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021.
The PSPC stated that swift action was taken to suspend Visser’s security clearance in June 2021, which was later revoked in September 2023. While the department did not name Visser in its statement, it emphasized its commitment to combating illegal activities and bringing fraudulent billing schemes to justice.
Guillaume Bertrand, a spokesperson for Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, highlighted the importance of protecting taxpayer money to ensure responsible governance. He noted that anyone exploiting the swift COVID-19 response or engaging in fraudulent billing should face consequences.
In March, Duclos revealed that a recent review identified fraudulent billing schemes occurring between 2018 and 2022, leading to the revocation of security clearances for several contractors and actions to recover misappropriated funds.
Visser is scheduled to appear in court in September.
