Arrest warrant issued for ex-CAO in Manitoba theft

An arrest warrant has been issued for Amber Fisher, a former chief administrative officer in Manitoba. She is accused of stealing over $532,000 from the municipality of Gilbert Plains. Fisher did not attend two recent court hearings, prompting the warrant from a provincial court judge. Fisher, 40, was charged with theft and fraud by the Manitoba RCMP earlier this year. The charges relate to actions taken during her time as CAO from 2020 to 2021, where she allegedly staged a fake cyberattack to hide the theft. She was arrested in January and released under conditions, which included attending court dates. Judge Geoffrey Bayly issued the warrant after Fisher failed to show up for a court date on March 18. A second chance was given when the warrant was held until March 25, but she missed that hearing too. Fisher was supposed to be present until she found a lawyer willing to represent her. The RCMP spokesperson explained that Fisher's failure to provide her fingerprints at the Dauphin detachment led to the warrant being executed. Fisher began working in Gilbert Plains in 2018 and was promoted to CAO in 2020. She was fired in November 2022 after an investigation revealed her alleged misconduct. The municipality has since sued her, resulting in a default judgment that ordered her to pay $525,000, along with interest. Gilbert Plains Reeve Jim Manchur expressed disappointment at her continued absence and the impact of the situation on the community's finances. The municipality is now considering a special levy to address a deficit caused by Fisher's actions. Fisher has not responded to multiple requests for comment from the media.