A Toronto man has been arrested and charged in connection with a $2.1 million fraud scheme involving the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board, police announced on Friday.
The investigation began in September following a report of fraud. Authorities determined that the suspect had fraudulently impersonated a contractor hired by the school board to complete work for the organization. The individual intercepted communications between the contractor and the board, providing new banking information and redirecting payments meant for the contractor.
In a statement, the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board confirmed the funds had been stolen, but assured the public that its computer systems were not compromised. “The board, in collaboration with its legal counsel, is working through the courts and with various financial institutions, and is confident that it will recover substantially all of the funds,” said board spokesperson Stephen Fields.
The suspect was identified, and a province-wide warrant was issued. However, authorities found that the individual had left Canada in October. On Thursday, 36-year-old Tyler Nathanael Manning was arrested at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport as he arrived on a flight from abroad. Manning was transported to Windsor, where he now faces several charges, including fraud over $5,000, forgery, two counts of impersonation, and laundering the proceeds of crime.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the Windsor police financial crimes team or Crime Stoppers to remain anonymous.
