Skip to content

Bookkeeper accused of stealing $1.7M from Victoria-area non-profit

Woman was charged after being arrested upon returning to Canada
web1_231207-vne-retailtheftcrackdown-vicpd_1
Victoria police worked with other agencies to arrest a woman accused of wiring $1.7 million from a non-profit organization to her own accounts. (Black Press Media file photo)

Police have arrested a bookkeeper who’s accused of wiring at least $1.7 million from a non-profit organization to her personal accounts.

The non-profit contacted Victoria police after it uncovered the alleged fraud through a scheduled audit earlier this year.

Galyna Kulykova is accused of boosting her own accounts with the non-profit’s funds and she was charged in the first week of April with fraud over $5,000, theft over $5,000 and falsifying documents.

Police have so far identified $1.7 million that she allegedly took and investigators have recovered $900,000. Much of the amount taken was used to buy gold, cryptocurrency and a new vehicle, VicPD added.

Multiple Vancouver Island police agencies, Canadian and U.S. border officials and the Canadian Embassy in Turkey worked together to locate and arrest the bookkeeper at the Vancouver International Airport as she returned to the country.

VicPD said she has since been released with conditions and a future court date.

Police believe other organizations may have been defrauded by Kulykova and are asking for any potential victims, or those with additional information, to call them at 250-995-7654 ext. 1, and reference the file number 23-45435.

READ: 3-week hearing to begin into Victoria police officer’s action in woman’s death