POLICE: Daycare staff shocked by fraud
David Reiner, 61, a self-employed bookkeeper for numerous Toronto day-care centres for several years until late 2006, was arrested Wednesday night at Pearson International Airport and charged in court Thursday morning.
"He basically wiped us out," said Maureen Myers, of McMurich Sprouts Day-Care Centre located near St. Clair and Oakwood avenues. She alleges Reiner took more than $120,000 from the organization.
"We have absolutely no savings and we operate on a month-to-month basis."
Police said Reiner sent out letters of his resignation to the centres dated Sept. 11, 2006. When the 21 centres in question checked their finances, they discovered the money controlled by Reiner was missing.
Janet Haitas, director of Pape Children's House near Pape Avenue and Gerrard Street East, said she was shocked when she heard news of Reiner's arrest.
"He was a great guy," she said. "Nobody thought this was possible."
Haitas said almost $10,000 of company funds has gone missing.
Reiner was arrested at 11:23 p.m. Wednesday and charged with 20 counts of fraud over $5,000, 21 counts of theft by a person required to account and one count of fraud under $5,000.
He is scheduled to appear in court next week for a bail hearing.
