Arrest warrant issued for former CAO accused of stealing $532K from Manitoba municipality

Ozten Shebahkeget · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 25, 2025 6:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

A erstwhile municipal authoritative — who was charged with theft and fraud by Manitoba RCMP earlier this twelvemonth — is wanted again aft she missed 2 tribunal dates wrong the past week.

Amber Fisher, 40, is accused of faking a cyber onslaught during her clip arsenic the CAO of the municipality of Gilbert Plains, astir 350 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, successful an effort to screen much than $500,000 she allegedly stole from the assemblage betwixt 2020 and 2021.

Last January, the RCMP arrested Fisher and charged her with fraud implicit $5,000, theft implicit $5,000, and for knowingly utilizing proceeds of crime. She was released from custody with conditions.

But Manitoba provincial tribunal Judge Geoffrey Bayly issued a warrant for Fisher's apprehension connected March 18, aft she failed to look astatine a proceeding successful Dauphin, according to tribunal recordings reviewed by CBC News.

Bayly had the warrant held until this Monday, the time Fisher was erstwhile again expected to look successful the Dauphin court, but she didn't amusement up to that proceeding either.

Her merchandise conditions included one that required her to beryllium contiguous for tribunal dates until a lawyer agreed to correspond her successful court, according to Bayly.

"Ms. Fisher knew to beryllium here. She knew to beryllium successful tribunal connected the 18th. She's not here," helium said Monday.

"The endorsed warrant that I had issued previously, but held to today's date, volition beryllium released [in bid to] to beryllium executed by the RCMP."

A pupil of a lawyer who was partially retained by Fisher spoke to the justice implicit the phone, saying the lawyer was not acceptable to hold to correspond Fisher successful court.

The pupil besides told Bayly that they'd had bully connection with Fisher, and that the erstwhile CAO had indicated she would spell to the Monday hearing.

'Disappointing': Reeve

Manitoba RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Paul Manaigre says an apprehension warrant was issued for Fisher, but it was issued due to the fact that she did not spell to the Dauphin detachment to supply her fingerprints arsenic required.

"Usually what happens is, erstwhile they look to get their prints taken, the complaint for not appearing is stayed," helium said successful an emailed connection connected Monday afternoon.

Fisher began to enactment for Gilbert Plains successful 2018 and was promoted to main administrative serviceman successful April 2020.

She was fired successful November 2022, aft a forensic accounting and fiscal probe study by MNP recovered she had transferred astir $532,000 of the municipality's wealth to her slope relationship portion she was CAO.

The municipality sued her successful 2023, and a default judgement ruled successful the municipality's favour aft Fisher did not taxable a connection of defence. The default judgement ordered Fisher to wage $525,000, with an yearly involvement complaint of 5 per cent.

A Manitoba tribunal ordered the seizure of her wages past October.

Gilbert Plains Reeve Jim Manchur says Fisher was expected to participate a plea connected the charges successful her caller tribunal dates, and that sparked intrigue.

The justice also wondered wherefore truthful galore radical were successful the courtroom past week.

"There's a fig of radical successful the assemblage of the court," Bayly said successful the March 18 hearing, after the warrant for Fisher's apprehension was initially issued and held. "I'm conscionable wondering, is anyone present expecting their sanction to beryllium connected the docket?"

"They're present for the Fisher matter," a antheral replies.

Gilbert Plains Reeve Jim Manchur says Fisher was expected to participate a plea connected the charges successful her caller tribunal dates.

Fisher's lack from tribunal implicit the past week is portion of a signifier for the erstwhile CAO, who showed a deficiency of co-operation during the forensic audit and consequent RCMP investigation, Manchur said.

"It's benignant of disappointing to see."

The municipality is considering whether it should present a peculiar levy to screen a fiscal shortage astatine Gilbert Plains, helium said. That shortage includes accounting and ineligible fees associated with Fisher's alleged theft and fraud.

Those details are expected to beryllium finalized earlier a nationalist presumption of the municipality's upcoming fund connected April 10, helium said.

CBC News has reached retired to Fisher for remark respective times, but she has not responded.