Fraudster calls police on himself

Fraudster calls police on himself
Tony Spears, QMI Agency

OTTAWA - A fraudster couldn't bring himself to go through with a plan to rob the bowling alley he'd already ripped off for $30,000, so he turned himself in to police.

Michael Gignac, 41, was given a six-month conditional sentence and two years of probation on Thursday after pleading guilty to fraud over $5,000.

Gignac's gambling addiction led him to steal $31,075 from Laurentian Lanes Ltd., a chain of alleys that includes Vanier's McArthur Lanes.

The money disappeared in a hurry so he hatched a plan to fake a burglary in April 2010. But after Gignac cut the cables to the surveillance cameras, he could sin no more and told police all.

The landscaper has already put aside $2,000 to be paid to Laurentian Lanes and will make restitution in full to the tune of $200 each month.

Victim Howard Grundman was nevertheless irked, using his victim impact statement to allege Gignac stole beer and food, and had fraudulently transferred ownership of his home in 2009 -- almost a year before the fraud took place -- to avoid repaying more money sooner.

He also asked the court to ramp up Gignac's monthly repayments, but Judge Lise Maisonneuve accepted the joint sentencing position because he turned himself in and is in counselling for his addiction.