Swindler Lloyd Carr enters court in Edmonton Friday. He got 31/2 years in jail for defrauding AADAC of more than $600,000. (Amber Bracken, QMI Agency)

EDMONTON - A former senior Alberta bureaucrat who scammed a public job in Manitoba after bilking the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC) for $634,000 was busted for his lies Friday and then put behind bars.

Lloyd Carr, 46, was sentenced to 31/2 years in prison by Court of Queen's Bench Justice Mary Moreau, who noted his misconduct after his massive fraud was uncovered showed he poses a "substantial risk" of reoffending.

Prior to sending Carr to the slammer, the judge forced the former executive director of AADAC's tobacco reduction unit to admit in court to his latest various scams, including lying about his working in Manitoba as a counsellor, getting that job using a bogus degree and taking a medical leave of absence for made-up bowel cancer treatments.

Carr also admitted that when it was brought up in court Monday at his sentencing hearing that he was hoping to get back into doing counselling, he did not reveal he had actually been working as such in Flin Flon for 18 months.

As well, he confessed to lying to a probation officer preparing a pre-sentence report that he was supporting his family by running a painting business in Manitoba.

Carr was brought into the courtroom in handcuffs after being arrested in the courthouse by RCMP for breaching the conditions of his bail. Court also heard he will likely be facing further criminal charges in Manitoba.

Crown counsel Greg Lepp said Carr's fraudulent acts in Manitoba make it clear he has not turned his life around.

"He is a leopard who has not changed his spots. He attempted to put some makeup on his spots on Monday, but the makeup has come off," said Lepp.

"He attempted to play us for fools," he said.

Before being sentenced, Carr said he was still remorseful and noted the journey of rehabilitation can take years,

On Monday, Carr had told court he had been doing painting work in Manitoba. However, it was revealed Thursday the former addictions counsellor has been employed for the past 11/2 years as a mental health clinician for the NOR-MAN Regional Health Authority, based in Flin Flon.

On Thursday, NOR-MAN's "shocked" executive director of communications confirmed Carr is an employee and said an investigation has been launched into the matter.

Carr pleaded guilty to fraud over $5,000 on Feb. 19.

Court heard Carr worked for AADAC from before 2001 until 2005, when he was appointed an executive director.

Between 2003 and 2006, AADAC entered into grant agreements with Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) and the Alberta Lung Association and payments were made.

However, Carr set up bogus contracts for work that was never done to divert AADAC cash into his own pockets.

In total, AADAC was defrauded of $634,250 and Carr netted $481,413. That money has never been accounted for.

The fraud was discovered after AADAC officials became suspicious of Carr's behaviour and advised the Alberta Auditor General's office, who began an investigation.

The auditor general also learned Carr had a prior criminal record for theft and did not have a university degree in social work as he had claimed in his job application.

A civil case, spawned by a lawsuit launched by AADAC, was settled when Carr paid $375,000 in restitution.

tony.blais@sunmedia.ca