GILBERT PLAINS, Manitoba — Amber Fisher, the former Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for the western Manitoba municipality of Gilbert Plains, has been arrested and charged with fraud, theft, and the use of proceeds obtained by crime after a two-year investigation revealed she had stolen over $532,000 from the municipality.
Fisher, 40, was fired in late 2022 after a forensic accounting report exposed the illegal transfers from the municipality’s funds to her personal bank account during her tenure. The report revealed that Fisher had diverted the large sum of money while in office, prompting a lawsuit filed by the municipality in 2023. The municipality accused Fisher of faking a cyber attack to cover her tracks, but Fisher failed to submit a statement of defence. A default judgment was issued in the municipality’s favor, and a Manitoba court subsequently ordered the seizure of her wages last fall.
The RCMP’s Dauphin detachment, in collaboration with the cyber and financial crime unit, led the investigation into Fisher’s actions. The investigation involved numerous witnesses and an extensive review of financial records. As a result of these efforts, Fisher has been charged with fraud over $5,000, theft over $5,000, and use of proceeds knowing they had been obtained through criminal activity.
Fisher has been released from custody with conditions and is scheduled to appear in provincial court on March 18 to face the charges.
