Sentencing begins for man who stole funding from vulnerable B.C. youth as unqualified social worker

Sentencing proceedings began Monday for a Kelowna, B.C., man who faked his qualifications as a social worker and drainedmoney from dozens of vulnerable foster children during his nearly 20-year career.

Robert Riley Saunderssat next to his lawyer in B.C. Supreme Court as the case goes through what's known as a Gardiner hearing, which needs to be completed before the judge can decide on Saunders's sentence.

Saunders pleaded guilty last September to fraud and breach of trust for stealing money intended to helpchildren in his care.

He also admitted to causingthe province to act on a forged document because he lied about his qualifications for social work.

Former youth in care says he was misled

Former foster children, the majority ofwhom are Indigenous, have accused Saunders of steering them away from stable, loving homes onto the street or into more independent living situations when they were children.

They said hethen usedjoint bank accounts to take government fundsfor himself, when it was meant to covertheir care.

The first witness to speak during the proceedings Monday was a former youth who had Saunders as achild protection guardianship worker.

Now in his early 20s, the mansaid Saunders never told himthe full scope offinancial aid that was available to him and offeredonly smaller vouchers a few times a month to cover food and clothing.

"I felt like a stepchild. Anytime I brought any sort of problem to the table, it would be quickly swept off," said the man, who can only be identified as "H".

"H" said he also remembered opening a joint bank account with Saunders at anInterior Savings Credit Union branch, but felt like hewas in an "iffy situation" and never used the account.

After leaving foster care, "H" said a newworker told him he was eligible for an independent living arrangement that would givehim hundreds more infinancial support to help cover expenses like schooling and rent.

Former coworker speaks incourt

Later Monday, a social worker who worked withSaunders at the Ministry of Children and Family Development also addressed the court. Shesaid she remembered Saunders buying himself a new boat, a new truck and new home in Kelowna all on what should have been a social worker's salary.

The former colleague, whowas as an acting team leader the year before Saunders was fired, said she went to management after realizing independent living cheques worth $579 each were being senttwice a month toa youth on Saunders's caseload who was actuallyin jail.

"I said to [Saunders], 'Something doesn't look right. You need to come forward now....' And he continued to say, 'No, there's nothing, just leave it alone, just leave it alone,' " the colleague said.

The case is going through theGardiner hearing so the court candetermine facts of the case that if proven by the Crown will affect the severity of Saunders's sentence.

Saunders was fired from the ministryin 2018. Many clients claim they were left homeless as a result of his behaviour, whilesome said they sufferedphysical and sexual abuse and ended up living with addiction.

The provincesettled a multi-million-dollar class-action lawsuitin the case last year.

A lawyer for the plaintiffs said that more than 100 victims havecome forward to register claims. As anyone who was in Saunders' care is eligible toreceive between $25,000 and $250,000 in compensation, the province could pay out as much as $15 million in total compensation.