Former volunteer pleads guilty to fraud after funds taken from N.S. premier’s riding

CITYnews halifax / By The Canadian Press

PICTOU, N.S. — A Nova Scotia woman has pleaded guilty to charges of fraud and forgery after thousands of dollars in funds were taken from Premier Tim Houston’s riding association.

Tara Cohoon, the former volunteer treasurer for the Pictou East Progressive Conservative Association, entered the pleas for fraud over $5,000 and forgery today in Pictou provincial court, foregoing her right to a trial.

Police laid charges against the 44-year-old on Oct. 23, several weeks after Houston reported the theft to police.

Court heard that Cohoon had withdrawn funds from the association’s account between Jan. 1, 2016 and Oct. 11, 2024.

According to the agreed statement of facts read in court, bank records showed the amount missing was “about $60,000” and the removal of funds had been going on “for a long time.”

Before her arrest in October, Cohoon admitted the theft to her company’s chief financial officer, who then contacted the premier’s office.

Cohoon’s sentencing is scheduled for March 5.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 6, 2025.

The Canadian Press