Former SaskTel manager testifies in fraud trial

Crites denies cash kickback to co-worker

For Dan Crites, SaskTel’s Max TV program was his life.

Crites and two other former SaskTel managers — Barry Richardson and Joan Yasinowski — are on trial in the Regina Court of Queen’s Bench, each charged with two counts of fraud over $5,000 and one count of theft over $5,000. The offences are alleged to have occurred between Jan. 1, 2007 and Sept. 4, 2009.

It is alleged that Crites, Yasinowski and Richardson set the prices and approved payments to a company they established — Green Really Works — for set top box work. It is also alleged they did the same for Triple Too Steel and that they purchased personal items — golf clubs, bicycles and ski clothing — with SaskTel money.

Green Really Works wasn’t mentioned in court on Friday.

Defence lawyer Bob Hrycan spent the majority of the afternoon going through detail of Crites’ positive performance reviews for the jury.

He also asked Crites about one of the allegations regarding project work in the spring of 2007. Crites was in charge of finding a vendor to place tamper proof stickers on set top boxes. A couple of companies were considered, but ultimately he decided to give the job to Triple Too Steel.

Crites also considered the Saskatchewan Abilities Council, but decided against it because in previous work for SaskTel assembling high speed Internet kits, the workers had a 25-per-cent error rate.

Crites approved the invoices for payment to the company even though the manager’s adult children worked on the project and were paid in cash. Based on past practices, Crites said he didn’t believe there was a conflict of interest in doing so.

Crites was also asked if there was a contract in place with Triple Too Steel for the project. Crites said “there was a contract as far as we had it in our operational budget,” and that the work was “minor” and didn’t involve a modification to how the set top box operates. Rather, it was an addition to make the set top boxes more secure.

Crites denied a claim that Dave Johnston, the owner of Triple Too Steel, was keeping 10 per cent commission and then giving the remainder to Yasinowski in cash. As well, he said that Triple Too Steel (and not the managers) set the price for the project, which Crites approved and said was appropriate.

Earlier in the week, a SaskTel auditor disagreed, testifying that the Crown corporation was overcharged for that project and another one involving swap kits.

On Sept. 2, 2009, Johnston complained to a SaskTel security manager about suspicious work in his warehouse without his permission. Later that evening, the security manager found the managers and their adult children in the warehouse working on SaskTel set top boxes. On Sept 4, 2009, Crites, Yasinowski and Richardson were suspended without pay.

Crites, 59, now works for HIB Office Plus in Regina.

The circumstances around Crites’ departure from SaskTel weren’t revealed in court on Friday.

He said he worked on average 12 hours a day and his wife threatened to divorce him twice. He added he regretted not spending more time with his sons.

The trial began on Nov. 26. On Friday morning, Crown prosecutor Dana Brule rested his case.

Crites is scheduled to take the stand again on Monday.