Barb Gallant apologizes for stealing veterans' money as court hears she was victim of online dating scam
Former Summerside councillor to be sentenced Dec. 16
The former Summerside city councillor who pleaded guilty to stealing thousands of dollars from a veterans' group stood in a P.E.I. provincial courtroom Tuesday and apologized before a judge and about a dozen victims and their supporters.
"Your Honour, I am truly sorry," Barb Gallant said, her voice shaking. "Veterans, community and … I'm just truly sorry."
During Gallant's sentencing hearing in Summerside, the public heard for the first time the reasons she felt compelled to make 58 fraudulent transactions amounting to $12,995 in her role as executive director of the Lest We Forget Veterans Committee.
Gallant is a "kind and thoughtful" person who got caught up in an online dating scam, said her lawyer, Peter Ghiz. He said the 60-year-old woman met someone she believed was a retired U.S. Navy captain, who said he was stationed in Syria.
Caught up in romance scam
She soon started sending him money — over a 16-month period — before realizing she was being scammed.
Crown prosecutor Chad McQuaid challenged that notion, however, noting that 18 of the fraudulent transactions took place before she began corresponding with the person overseas.
The Crown recommended Gallant serve four to six months in jail and three years on probation. Her defence wants her to serve a conditional sentence at home. Ghiz noted Gallant provides care for her elderly mother.
Gallant has paid back about $2,000. The Crown has asked for the remaining $11,000 to be paid back in restitution.
Provincial court Judge Krista MacKay will sentence Gallant on Dec. 16.
A group of veterans, who have been following the case since Gallant was arrested and charged in April, have been outspoken about how the theft has affected them. On Tuesday, veteran Marle Gaudet read from a victim impact statement.
'We felt betrayed'
"We identified how we felt betrayed, angry, how hurt we are and what we need for our healing to go forward," Gaudet said.
"We were told there was no money, to find out later there was not only money, but she had accessed that for her own personal needs. That devastated us."
Nancy Beth Guptill, the past president of the Lest We Forget Veterans Committee who first noticed the suspicious transactions, said she was at least thankful Gallant acknowledged what she had done.
"That is the very first time we've received an apology, and it seemed to be genuine," she said.
"The organization itself did lose a little bit of face, but we believe that by us actually holding her accountable and going through this procedure and standing beside the veterans, I think they see that we are very genuine in wanting to see restoration happen."
With files from Wayne Thibodeau