The Executive Archdeacon of the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador has pled guilty to theft. On 12 August 2014 the Ven. John Dinn and his wife, Catherine, pled guilty to stealing C$9,600 from St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church in Topsail. Archdeacon Dinn also pled guilty to pocketing C$1,625 in wedding fees he was obliged to turn over to the parish. Dinn and his wife admitted that between July and November 2012 they altered cheques from the parish to pay for their sons’ schooling. The Crown has asked the court to hand down a suspended sentence against Mrs. Dinn and to place Mr. Dinn on three months house arrest, and to pay back the money they stole. The court took note that C$8000 had been repaid so far. Sentencing has been set for August 26.
In April the Diocese of Brandon filed suit against its former archdeacon, the Ven. Noah James Bernard Njegovan, seeking to recover money embezzled in 2012. In a statement of claim filed in Brandon Court of Queen’s Bench, the diocese is seeking to recoup C$350,000 plus costs and damages. In May 2013 Mr. Njegovan was arrested on charges of having committed a fraud of over $5,000 while serving as executive archdeacon of the diocese and assistant to his father, Bishop James Njegovan of Brandon. Prosecutors allege that between 12 March 2012 and 12 September 2012 Mr. Njegovan used a diocesan credit card and made online transfers of funds sent by congregations to the diocese for his personal use. In his address to the October 2012 meeting diocesan Synod Bishop Njegovan stated that his son had resigned in September 2012 as executive archdeacon and was moving to Winnipeg to pursue other opportunities. An audit conducted following the resignation last August of a second employee of the diocese uncovered financial irregularities which were reported to the diocese on 2 December 2012. A forensic audit was undertaken and the results passed to the police in January. Mr. Njegovan was arrested the following month and his license to officiate as a priest suspended.
