Woman accused of fraud files lawsuit

Melissa Holman has released a statement in response to the lawsuit filed by Fusako Kametani

The head of the Temporary Foreign Workers Association accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a new Canadian is now launching a lawsuit of her own.

Melissa Holman is accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from Fursako Kametani in mid-June when Holman was President of the Temporary Foreign Workers Association.

Fursako Kametani was a client.

“I was so stupid because I became panic from bad person from immigration,” said Kametani.

Even then, Holman said there was much more to the story.

“I stand up and say absolutely pass judgment, once both sides have been heard. but this has been so unbelievably one sided,” said Holman.

CTV News has learned that Holman has launched a lawsuit against a former coworker and in it, she claims Serena Keraykes stole and destroyed files, forged cheques and cooked the books in a way that allowed her to steal more than $200,000 from the company.

“Ms. Holman alleges that but for the actions of Ms. Karakes, her business would still be operating successfully, she would still be in place in the business, and she would not be charged criminally so those are allegations that are built into the civil proceedings,” said lawyer Grant Vogeli.

Back in April a civil enforcement agency came to Kerekes' house.  Inside they found a lot of items belonging to the Temporary Foreign Workers Association, including the file belonging to the woman accusing Melissa Holman of fraud.

“The bailiff found in Ms. Karakes's home several files including the file of Fusako Kametani, and several other files from Temporary Foreign Workers' office premises,” said Vogeli.

CTV tried to contact Ms. Kerekes' but neither Kerekes nor her lawyer returned our calls.

Kerekes’ statement of claim denies theft and fraud and says the lawsuit is designed to, "obtain a tactical advantage in litigation...and raise doubt as to Melissa Holman's alleged guilt in criminal proceedings."

The lawsuit is in the early stages and will go to questioning in the next couple of months.