Woman who impersonated nurse in B.C., Alberta sentenced to jail

Charrybelle Talaue, who uses multiple pseudonyms, has applied for and worked in health-care jobs in British Columbia and Alberta, despite her lack of nursing qualifications, the Central Saanich Police Service said in a statement announcing the charges against her Tuesday. (Central Saanich Police Service)

A woman has been sentenced to jail after she pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to impersonating a nurse in British Columbia.

Charrybelle Talaue was arrested in Idaho and returned to Canada last year after fleeing the country while awaiting trial on multiple counts of forgery, fraud and identity fraud.

Court records show Talaue was convicted in B.C. on Feb. 3 of two counts of fraud, two counts of personation with intent to gain advantage and one count of forgery.

The B.C. Prosecution Service says Talaue was given a global sentence of 18 months, but credited with 425 days of pre-sentence custody, leaving her with 115 days to be served behind bars.

Talaue, who was also known to use multiple aliases, including Belle Marie, Charrybelle Baldesancho, Yves Anglehart and others, was first charged with crimes related to impersonating a registered nurse on Vancouver Island in 2023.

In October of that year, the B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives issued a public notice warning that Talaue was not a registered nurse in B.C. and never had been. The regulator’s warning came after Talaue allegedly tried to get a job at a local hospital.

Later that year, the Central Saanich police announced charges against Talaue, who was then 34 years old, alleging she had tried to get nursing jobs in B.C. and Alberta using forged documents, including a marriage certificate and an Alberta health card.

“This investigation was complex and required significant collaboration with law enforcement agencies across multiple jurisdictions,” Chief Ian Lawson of the Central Saanich Police Department said in a statement Thursday.

“The efforts of our members resulted in a successful conviction and helped ensure the continued safety of our community.”