The former president of a Conservative riding association in Hamilton was charged with theft Thursday after allegedly stealing more than $30,000 meant to reimburse the federal party for its 2015 campaign.
Hamilton police say they launched an investigation beginning in March of this year, after receiving word of “accounting irregularities within the Federal Conservative Electoral District Association of Hamilton Centre, at the conclusion of the 2015 election.”
Police allege the suspect took the money which was refunded to the Conservative Party of Canada by Elections Canada, which reimburses eligible campaign expenses.
The sum stolen represents more than three quarters of all the money the candidate in Hamilton Centre spent in the 2015 election, according to Elections Canada filings.
On Thursday, police said they arrested a suspect they identified as 67-year-old David Dawson.
He was charged with one count of fraud over $5,000, one count of theft by conversion and one count of theft by person required to account.
He was released on a promise to appear and is next scheduled to appear in court in Hamilton on Nov. 18.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 905-546-4521 or 905-546-3841.
