A Calgary woman who spent years evading justice by twice fleeing to the United Kingdom has finally been sentenced for a massive fraud scheme targeting her former employer.
Judge Imposes Prison Term and Massive Financial Penalty
Justice Brandy Shaw of the Calgary Court of Justice has ordered Carol Lloyd to serve a federal prison sentence and pay a fine equivalent to the more than $1.8 million she admitted to stealing. The judge ruled that Lloyd must serve an additional two years in prison. Furthermore, she must repay the stolen sum or face an additional five years in custody, pending a default hearing.
The 66-year-old pleaded guilty on August 21, 2023, to charges dating back more than a decade. She confessed to defrauding FirstService Residential Alberta Ltd. by writing cheques to herself between June 2014 and November 2015.
A Decade-Long Flight from Justice
Lloyd's path to sentencing was lengthy and marked by evasion. After her initial arrest in Calgary, she fled to her native England and fought extradition. She was eventually ordered back to Canada in 2021.
After being granted bail a second time in June 2021, she astonishingly fled to the UK once more, forcing authorities to obtain a second extradition order to bring her back to face the charges.
During her two battles against extradition, Lloyd spent a total of 764 days in British custody. Crown prosecutor Dane Bullerwell argued she should receive no credit for this time. However, Justice Shaw used her discretion to grant Lloyd credit for half of those days.
Sentencing Rationale: Denunciation and Deterrence
Combined with credit for time served in Calgary, Lloyd received a 26-month deduction from her original sentence of four years and two months. This leaves her with two years left to serve.
In her ruling, Justice Shaw rejected the defence's position for a lighter sentence, stating that "sophisticated, large-scale frauds" require stiffer punishment. She emphasized that denouncing Lloyd's conduct and deterring others were the most important considerations.
"The sentence cannot be low enough to make the crime profitable," Shaw stated. The judge also noted that none of the stolen $1.8 million has been recovered.
Defence lawyer Ryan Millar had argued for a sentence that, with credit for UK custody, would result in no additional jail time. He also cited his client's health issues, including multiple sclerosis and severe arthritis, as mitigating factors. The judge, however, found the gravity of the offence outweighed these concerns.
