WINNIPEG – NEWS – On May 7, 2019, the Winnipeg Police Service Financial Crimes Unit was contacted by Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation to report what they believed to be fraud and theft-related occurrences by an employee within their Casino Tours Department dating back to 2017.
The investigation revealed that between April 2017 and April 2019, more than 300 fraud, theft, and money-laundering events occurred, resulting in Liquor & Lotteries being defrauded of more than $275,000.
Casinos of Winnipeg provides tour packages to casinos and hires various companies to provide bus transportation.
Winnipeg Police report that, “Part of the bus operators’ payment was based on the number of patrons booked for each tour”.
“Invoices and computer data were altered to show inflated passenger counts, and falsified trips were created, resulting in overpayments to several tour bus companies”.
Police say that Lori Ann Mann owned a bus company. “Due to the overall control and manipulation of the travel manifests, the tour companies were not aware that they were being overpaid, according to Winnipeg Police. “The tour operators were unsuspecting when they were then directed to make payments based on their existing business relationship with the suspect, Lori Ann Mann”.
The transactions were discovered in an audit conducted by Liquor & Lotteries.
On March 2, 2021, the Financial Crimes Unit charged Lori Ann MANN, 51, from Winnipeg, with the following offences:
- Fraud Over $5,000
- Theft Over $5,000
- Laundering Proceeds of Crime
- Mischief to Data
This is a developing news story. More details to come…
None of the charges have been proven in court, all accused are considered innocent until proven guilty.
