York Regional Police has charged five people – including two from Barrie and two from Innisfil – with defrauding the City of Vaughan of more than $2 million.
Detectives launched a seven-month investigation into four people from the same family and one of their friends after an internal city audit revealed $2 million had been paid out to allegedly fictitious companies.
Investigators now allege that over a 13-year period, an employee in the city’s water, wastewater, and drainage department – with help from his family and the friend – set up a number of fake companies as vendors to the city.
Police say more than 1,000 purchase orders were filed over 13 years for a total of $2.4 million. Benjamin Ciampichini, 57, of Innisfil is charged with fraud over $5,000, conspiracy to commit fraud, and breach of trust by a public official. Anna Ciampichini, 54, of Innisfil, 59-year-old Vittorio Ciampichini of Barrie, 60-year-old Linda Ciampichini of Barrie and Michele D'Agastino, 50, of Toronto are charged with fraud over $5,000 and conspiracy to commit fraud.
They have a court date in Newmarket on Sept. 17.
The City of Vaughan has implemented a new procedure “to improve and control the purchase process of low value goods and services” about a year ago, and also launched anonymous reporting system for staff to report any concerns about suspected misconduct.
