The City of Surrey Takes Legal Action Over Alleged $2.5 Million Fraud Scheme
The City of Surrey has initiated a legal battle against the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and Coast Capital Savings in an effort to recover more than $2.5 million reportedly stolen in a fraudulent cheque scheme that unfolded over a span of seven years.
According to a notice of civil claim filed recently in B.C. Supreme Court, the city accuses former accounting clerk Sunny Catlin of manipulating deposit procedures within Surrey’s finance department. Allegations suggest that Catlin redirected funds to various accounts under her name, a company she owned, and her mother’s account by tampering with security deposit documentation intended for legitimate transactions.
The city’s lawsuit, which is yet to be proven in court, highlights 183 fraudulent cheques linked to Catlin’s suspected fraudulent activities, issued between February 2017 and January 2024.
In its pursuit of justice, the City of Surrey is seeking a judgment exceeding $2.5 million from the implicated banks. As of now, neither CIBC nor Coast Capital has responded to the legal action.
Catlin, who has remained silent on the matter, faces charges of breach of trust by a public officer, theft, fraud, and forgery following her arrest in November. She is scheduled to appear in Surrey Provincial Court on January 30 to address the allegations.