City of Ottawa makes $558,000 fraudulent transaction, treasurer says
The city of Ottawa and Ottawa police are investigating after the city made a fraudulent $558,000 payment after being "impacted by an illegal action perpetrated" against a city partner.
City Treasurer Wendy Stephanson says staff became aware of a possible irregularity related to a payment made by the city on Monday.
"Upon further investigation by city staff, it was confirmed that the city was impacted by an illegal action perpetrated against a partnering agency," Stephanson said in a memo to council.
"On confirming the fraudulent transaction, staff immediately reported the incident to the city's financial institution, the Ottawa Police and the Auditor General."
Stephanson says the city is working with Ottawa police and its bank to recover the funds, and staff have launched a comprehensive internal investigation.
"The city will continue to cooperate with the police in their investigation into the incident, and with the financial institution to secure and recover any of the funds fraudulently obtained," Stephanson said.
"Staff can confirm that no personal information was compromised or shared by the city of Ottawa."
Stephanson says no further information will be released due to the active police investigation.
In 2019, the city of Ottawa was scammed out of approximately $130,000 in an email scam. The auditor general said the former city treasurer was the victim of a "whaling scam", receiving an email from an address she thought belonged to city manager Steve Kanellakos.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.