Woman to be sentenced next month for $7.4 million winery fraud

The head of one of Canada’s largest wine companies says employees will always bear emotional scars after discovering their co-worker of 19 years stole millions from the company.

“We still cannot believe that someone we trusted could deceive and betray us in a such a cunning, bold and manipulative fashion,” John Peller, president and CEO of Andrew Peller Ltd., said in court Thursday for the sentencing of Christine Papakyriakou.

“Since the discovery, we have all struggled with a wide range of emotions. There were many tears and sleepless nights. There still exists a great deal of pain, anger and resentment amongst our employees and the entire Peller family.”

A judge will decide next month whether to send the former manager of financial planning to jail for bilking the Grimsby-based company out of $7.4 million.

Papakyriakou, 53, wept in St. Catharines court Thursday as her lawyer argued her case had exceptional circumstances that should lead to a conditional sentence or, at the most, two years in jail.

They include alcoholism, post traumatic stress disorder, anti-social personality disorder and a gambling addition.

The Crown wants a five-year jail term in what is believed to be Niagara’s biggest-ever fraud case.

Papakyriakou pleaded guilty in April to fraud over $5,000 for taking the money from the company, formerly called Andres Wines, over 11 years.

It was spent on vacations, jewelry, private schools and gambling at Casino Niagara.

Assistant Crown attorney Rick Monette urged Judge David Harris to give Papakyriakou a penitentiary sentence, arguing she abused her position of trust.

Monette said the Crown is also concerned by a pre-sentence report that noted Papakyriakou lacked remorse for her actions and lacked empathy and insight into how her behaviour affected her employer.