An Edmonton resident has been handed a 12-month jail term following her admission of guilt in defrauding a vulnerable client of over $73,000. Shum Shabat Yousouf, aged 35, pleaded guilty to defrauding an individual with a diagnosed mental illness while working as a program manager and housing worker for Contentment Social Services Foundation (CSSF), a non-profit organization providing assisted-living services. Yousouf, who was an authorized representative on the organization’s corporate records, used her position to exploit the victim, a 59-year-old man in need of daily assistance.
The victim, Christopher Domoslai, entered into an agreement with CSSF in 2022, paying $1,450 monthly for various services. Yousouf abused her authority by coercing Domoslai into obtaining bank drafts exceeding his agreed-upon fees, taking control of his online banking, and conducting unauthorized transfers. She redirected funds totaling $63,445 to CSSF’s account and $3,500 to her personal account, leaving the victim with depleted savings. The fraud came to light in 2023 when Domoslai’s sister discovered the financial discrepancies and false claims made by Yousouf.
In sentencing, the judge highlighted Yousouf’s breach of trust and the victim’s vulnerability, emphasizing the severity of the fraud’s impact. Despite Yousouf’s lack of prior criminal record, her guilty plea, remorse, and partial restitution payments, the judge dismissed a request for a conditional sentence. Yousouf was ordered to serve jail time and repay the defrauded amount through a structured payment plan. Additionally, she faces restrictions on future financial roles and corporate control, requiring disclosure of her criminal actions for transparency.