CANADA
CBC News
A popular former Catholic priest in Ottawa who stepped down amid allegations he misappropriated church funds is set to appear in court today on those allegations.
In July 2012, Ottawa police charged Joseph LeClair with one count each of fraud over $5,000 and theft over $5,000, as well as criminal breach of trust and laundering proceeds of crime.
LeClair’s preliminary hearing is expected to begin Monday morning on each of those charges.
LeClair, who originally hails from Prince Edward Island, had attracted a following in his 13 years at the Blessed Sacrament Church in Ottawa’s Glebe neighbourhood and had a reputation as a charismatic speaker and community leader.
But the Catholic Archdiocese of Ottawa launched an audit of the church, following a report that LeClair had racked up large credit card bills, as well as a discovery the church had few financial controls.
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