Gambling addiction behind $100K Gander theft

Gambling addiction behind $100K Gander theft


A Gander man has been sentenced to 15-months house arrest for stealing more than $100,000 from his employer.

Jack Budgell, 67, used his position at the Gander-area business development corporation to satisfy a gambling addiction, according to Crown prosecutor Doug Howell.

"He submitted travel claims without the appropriate receipts and also removed funds from various accounts," said Howell, speaking after Budgell was sentenced Tuesday.

Budgell was convicted last year of stealing more than $100,000 from the business development corporation over ten years. A judge ordered him to repay $73,000 he still owes the corporation.

He was convicted of two counts of fraud over $5,000, involving crimes committed while he was the executive director of the corporation.

Howell said the sentence Budgell received is not uncommon for type of crimes he committed.

"Essentially these types of cases involving these types of offences in most cases do result in a period of incarceration to be served in the community, which was what was imposed here,” he said.

Last Friday at a sentencing hearing, Howell recommended that Budgell should be given 18-months of house arrest.

Budgell's defence lawyer argued that a house arrest of 12-months would be reasonable.

Budgell was fired from his job in 2008, and has since paid back about $32,000 to the corporation, which provides financial support to small businesses in the area.

The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) funds the development corporation.