Canadian police have filed fraud charges against the former Archdeacon of Brandon, the Ven. Noah Njegovan

Canadian police have filed fraud charges against the former Archdeacon of Brandon, the Ven. Noah Njegovan (32). On 22 April 2015 Njegovan appeared before the Brandon Crown Court and was charged with fraud over $5,000 and theft over $5,000. He has been released on bail and is to appear in court on 21 May 2015. Appointed archdeacon by his father, the Bishop of Brandon, the Rt. Rev. James Njegovan, Noah Njegovan is alleged to have defrauded the diocese by incurring $90,175 in credit card cash advances, $46,660 in meal and bar bills, $13,277 spent at hotels, $8,107 spent on fuel and travel and $6,791 for three trips to Las Vegas between January 2010 and September 2012. A further $31,488 was spent on purchases such as clothing and massages, the statement of claim alleges. An audit of diocesan finances in 2013 uncovered the thefts. Criminal charges filed in 2013 were withdrawn in March 2014 were withdrawn pending the outcome of a forensic audit. Njegovan’s re-arrest was a result of that audit, police said. On Palm Sunday, Bishop Njegovan announced that he will be retiring in July after 13-and-a-half-years of episcopal service. “For some this announcement may come as a surprise,” he said in his pastoral letter to the dioese. But, he added “as much as I may regret it—it will not be entirely unwelcome news.” The bishop told the Anglican Journal there was no connection between his decision to retire and the diocesan lawsuit currently underway involving his son, Noah Njegovan. The Diocese filed a $350,000 civil lawsuit against the former archdeacon, claiming damages of $250,000 for fraud, breach of trust, breach of contract and fraudulent misrepresentation, and $100,000 for punitive and exemplary damages. The bishop noted his time away from the diocese on sabbatical this year had “convinced me that the time has now come for me to step down as your Bishop and begin my season of retirement.”