Former Kugaaruk hamlet employee charged with fraud

October 16, 2026 - Kugaaruk, Nunavut
From: Nunavut RCMP

Content

File: 2025-1184324

In August 2025, the Kugaaruk RCMP began a fraud investigation after receiving a complaint from the Hamlet of Kugaaruk. Police were notified that a former hamlet employee had defrauded the hamlet office earlier in the year. 

In September 2026, the Nunavut Court of Justice issued a Canada Wide Arrest Warrant for the former employee. 

On October 8, 2026, officers with the Offenders Management Apprehension Program (OMAP) unit of the Upper Ottawa Valley (UOV) Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) located and arrested the accused in Pembroke, Ontario. 

The Kugaaruk RCMP has charged Hanah Arafiles (age 29) with: 

• Fraud over $5000.00, Section 380(1) C.C.
• Forgery, Section 367 C.C.
• Uttering forged documents, Section 368(1) C.C.
• Drawing document without authority, Section 374 C.C.
• Theft under $5000.00, Section 322 C.C.
• Possession of property obtained by crime, Section 354(1) C.C.

Arafiles was released and is scheduled to make her first court appearance on November 2, 2026, in Iqaluit, Nunavut. 

As the matter is before the courts, police will not be releasing further details. 

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