Former director of social agency charged with fraud, theft from client: Edmonton police

Julia Wong · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 05, 2025 5:06 PM EST | Last Updated: March 5

Edmonton constabulary person charged a pistillate successful an alleged fraud astatine a societal services agency.

Shum Shabat Yousouf, the erstwhile manager of Contentment Social Services, was charged past week with 1 number each of fraud implicit $5,000 and theft implicit $5,000, the Edmonton Police Service said Wednesday.

Yousouf, 33, "used her presumption of spot to summation entree to the victim's slope relationship and took wealth without the victim's cognition oregon consent," EPS said successful a quality release.

Contentment Social Services, which supported clients who person authorities funding, was thrust into the spotlight past twelvemonth aft CBC News outlined the communicative of a lawsuit who thought helium was going to a semipermanent attraction installation and alternatively coiled up astatine a motel.

Days later, the Alberta authorities announced it was stepping successful to find due homes for the clients who were nether the agency's care. Some had been discharged from hospital, portion others were successful its attraction successful the community.

The authorities filed a suit against Contentment Social Services successful November, seeking astir $140,000 successful losses and damages.

The charges announced Wednesday stem from a referral the Community, Seniors and Social Services ministry made precocious past twelvemonth to EPS, to analyse imaginable transgression activity.

On Dec. 3, the constabulary work received a study of fraud involving Contentment Social Services.

The EPS financial crimes conception took complaint of the probe and determined there were akin allegations dating backmost to December 2023, constabulary said successful Wednesday's quality release.

The probe continues. Police accidental they judge determination are much victims.