Ottawa, Canada (AHN) -- Abuse of government-issued credit card privileges made the headlines in the U.S. and Canada this week. A few days after the U.S. General Accountability Office reported widespread charging of unauthorized items among federal employees, a Canadian bureaucrat made news by charging $230,000 to her state-issued credit card to buy souvenir coins which she deposited in her personal bank account.

Veronica Topic, 24, later withdrew the money, purchased electronic gadgets and auctioned it on eBay. The Canada Border Services Agency employee even had the gumption to have the laptops, Palm Pilots and other gizmos delivered to her office, which caused raised eyebrows among her officemates.

Janice Paterson, who investigated Topic, wrote in her report, quoted by the Ottawa Sun, "While the employee ultimately admitted wrongdoing and expressed remorse for her actions, the writer did not find any evidence to support her claims that she undertook these activities in order to provide financial support to her family."

Rather, Topic led a lifestyle beyond her personal income, Paterson concluded. A case was filed and the CBSA staff was fired from her job.

Co-workers said the indicators of Topic's lavish lifestyle included using the latest hi-tech devices, hockey tickets for the season, jewelry, a penthouse condo unit and a Mercedes Benz.

Topic is now facing nine charges including fraud, forgery and breach of trust.

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