A former staff member of the Millbrook First Nation received a 4.5-year prison sentence and was ordered to repay $4.38 million within 15 years. Failure to do so could result in five years of imprisonment. The sentencing took place in Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Truro on Friday. Additionally, the individual was banned for 25 years from holding any position involving control over another person’s property, money, or valuable assets. A DNA order was also issued.
The investigation into the case began after a report from the chief and council of Millbrook First Nation in December 2019. The former employee, Dawn Marie Ellis-Abbott, allegedly wrote personal checks between 2016 and 2019 while serving as a senior finance clerk for Millbrook. Initially accused of misappropriating $1 million, further investigation revealed that she had stolen over $4 million.
Ellis-Abbott faced charges of fraud over $5,000, theft over $5,000, and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 in 2023. However, the latter two charges were withdrawn. In a related civil lawsuit, a judge ordered her to repay $3.2 million to the First Nation with an additional $849,000 in interest.
The Millbrook First Nation expressed satisfaction with the decision, stating that it brought “closure and justice.” Chief Bob Gloade, while acknowledging the sentence, remarked that it was insufficient to compensate for the economic losses and community impacts caused by the crime. Despite attempts to seek comments from Ellis-Abbott’s lawyer and Millbrook First Nation, no responses were received.