Sentencing delayed for Regina woman convicted of $4.9M investor theft

Article content

Sentencing for Alena Pastuch, who pleaded guilty to stealing multi-millions from investors in the early 2000s, has been postponed another six weeks to allow the Regina woman to deal with medical concerns.

Pastuch was expected to appear in Regina’s Court of King’s Bench on Monday to receive a sentencing decision from Justice Catherine Dawson, but she was instead granted an adjournment to late April to arrange medical appointments and obtain new legal counsel.

Article content

Pastuch was convicted of fraud, theft and money laundering in 2019 and sentenced to seven years in prison, but she successfully appealed both the conviction and sentence.

She was granted a new trial in 2022, which ultimately did not go ahead as Pastuch entered a guilty plea in 2024 to theft over $5,000. The other two charges had been stayed at the time of her conviction in 2019.

According to Crown prosecutors, Pastuch defrauded investors in a number of her tech companies of an estimated $4.9 million between 2006 and 2013, spending the funds on personal uses like gambling, travel, shopping, a house purchase and more.

Lawyers delivered a joint submission to the court in September, putting forth a suggested sentence of three-and-a-half years in prison.

Pastuch was granted permission to appear at Monday’s hearing via phone as she was “experiencing medical issues.” She requested an adjournment, seeking additional time to address her health concerns before an appearance for sentencing.

An interim lawyer, speaking on her behalf Monday, said Pastuch has “significant health issues” that require appointments before Pastuch may be placed in Saskatchewan’s penitentiary system.

Article content

Article content

Crown prosecutor Dana Brule opposed the adjournment, reiterating that the agreement made in September was to set sentencing for this spring so Pastuch could “get her affairs in order,” including health-related arrangements.

He argued that Pastuch “has a history” of making medical requests and discharging counsel, and that her medical status had not been proven in court as no doctors testified to verify claims made about her mental and physical health.

“This case has gone on excessively long,” he said. “The Crown is of the view this is another delay tactic by Ms. Pastuch.”

Defense counsel Chris Murphy was dismissed as Pastuch’s legal representation during the proceedings after a request to withdraw which cited “a breakdown in the solicitor-client relationship” since September.

Pastuch did not dispute the withdrawal. Her interim lawyer said Pastuch has “deeper concerns” that Murphy had not provided proper representation amid sentencing submissions, namely that there was “not enough consideration” of her medical needs.

Murphy had represented Pastuch since 2020, appointed through Legal Aid Saskatchewan.

Article content

The judge granted the adjournment, directing Pastuch to attend the new sentencing date in person unless given special permissions to appear virtually.

— with files from Brandon Harder, Barb Pacholik

[email protected]

The Regina Leader-Post has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe.

With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark leaderpost.com and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe.

Article content