WINNIPEG — The woman accused of taking money from her dying niece’s fundraising account choked back tears as she was questioned on the stand.
Sheryl Matheson is on trial for fraud and theft charges, accused of misappropriating more than $30,000 from an account she set up for 19-year-old Jessica Bondar of Winnipeg.
Bondar suffered a stroke and kidney failure in 2009 due to complications from influenza A and died from a stroke in 2011in a Montreal hospital awaiting a heart transplant.
A major fundraising effort was launched to help with Bondar’s medical bills.
Matheson told a Winnipeg court Wednesday that Bondar was “like a daughter” to her and says she opened a joint bank account with Bondar.
She testified she allowed immediate family members to use her credit card to pay for flights to visit the teen.
In court, Matheson was shown a list of emails, texts and Facebook messages between her and Bondar’s mother, Charlotte Roy.
Matheson said the list was "altered beyond recognition."
Last week, the judge heard a videotaped statement Bondar gave to police before her death.
Bondar said she was surprised to find the fund set up for her had just $70 in it. She told police she was confused because the account had once contained close to $40,000 and she had only received some clothing and a television from the fund.
Police also laid out a list of items charged to the account, including $205 spent at Costco, $113 at Walmart and a $352 phone bill.
Court also heard last week from Roy, who testified she initially thought Matheson took tens of thousands of dollars from the account.
However, after reviewing financial records, she said she now believes Matheson about how and where she spent the money.
