Man fined $26K for repeatedly lying to collect employment insurance

Photo: Castanet

A Kamloops-area man has been ordered to pay more than $26,000 in fines after bilking the federal government for $26,574 in an employment insurance scam.

Leonard Wayne Michel, 43, pleaded guilty to 18 counts of making a false or misleading representation under the Employment Insurance Act. He was sentenced in Kamloops provincial court on Tuesday.

Court heard Michel, who lives in Chase, lied 33 times about being unemployed between 2016 and 2018.

Federal Crown prosecutor Alexandra Andrisoi said Michel was working while collecting employment insurance to the tune of $26,574. She said Ottawa has already recovered more than $5,000 of that through “involuntary clawbacks.”

“There was a degree of planning in Mr. Michel’s conduct and the amount at issue is significant,” she said.

Andrisoi said it was not Michel’s first time making false EI claims. She said he was handed administrative penalties in 2003, 2014 and 2016.

He has no previous criminal record.

Andrisoi and defence lawyer Rachel Smith pitched a joint submission for a $26,100 fine — $1,450 for each of the 18 counts to which Michel pleaded guilty.

Smith said Michel recently separated from his partner and is “starting from scratch” financially.

“He’s not presently working and he is struggling a fair amount,” she said.

“This will have a very significant impact on him.”

According to Smith, the federal government can still collect on $21,572 that remains outstanding. That would be in addition to the fine amount.

Kamloops provincial court Judge Roy Dickey went along with the joint submission.

Michel has until the end of November of 2024 to pay the fine. Dickey warned him he could face new charges if he does not pay the full amount on time.