B.C. principal banned from teaching after defrauding school of nearly $350,000
Posted September 12, 2023 3:48 pm.
Last Updated September 12, 2023 3:53 pm.
A former B.C. principal has had his teaching certificate cancelled for stealing nearly $350,000 from his school over a three-year span, according to a ruling from the Teacher Regulation Branch (TRB).
In a ruling posted Tuesday, the TRB says Kelly Rambeau regularly submitted receipts multiple times for reimbursement — both in his name and another person’s — and issued reimbursement cheques to himself.
The decision does not identify where the fraud took place, only saying Rambeau was employed as a principal by an independent First Nations school in B.C. However, multiple media outlets have previously reported a person by the same name was accused of fraud at a school near Prince Rupert, B.C.
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The TRB report says between 2015 and 2018, Rambeau submitted numerous credit card statements and expense reports on behalf of himself and someone identified as “Person A” for which he was repaid by the school.
“The Statements included many expenses that were not incurred on behalf of, or authorized by, the School,” the report said.
Following an audit, it was found that Rambeau had received between $286,287 and $337,133 from the school. This led to the school filing civil lawsuits against Rambeau and Person A alleging fraud.
Rambeau was fired in October 2018.
The TRB says Rambeau settled the lawsuits in 2022, with the BC Supreme Court ordering he pay the school $175,000, acknowledge his conduct, and apologize.
“I was careless with the school finances and benefited from those reimbursements for personal expenses that I was not entitled to,” he stated in court.
The oversight body says Rambeau compromised his position of trust and benefitted from his position of authority, failed to conduct himself as a role model, and undermined the reputation of the profession.
