Windsor Window and Door Company Files Major Lawsuit Against Former Accountant
Brookstone Windows and Doors, a prominent Windsor-based company operating twelve locations throughout southern Ontario, has initiated a substantial $1-million lawsuit against its former accountant, Eric Richardson. The legal action alleges that Richardson, a 36-year-old London resident, misappropriated nearly $700,000 of company funds to fuel his gambling activities.
Serious Allegations of Financial Misconduct
According to the detailed statement of claim filed in court, Brookstone hired Richardson as an accountant in September 2024. The company soon granted him comprehensive access to critical financial systems, including corporate credit cards, accounting platforms, and payroll management tools. This unrestricted access allegedly enabled Richardson to engage in systematic financial misconduct over several months.
The company launched an internal investigation in April 2025 after detecting what they described as "financial irregularities" in corporate credit card usage. Their investigation reportedly revealed that Richardson had been using the company credit card to place bets on various gambling websites. Additionally, he allegedly transferred funds directly to his personal bank accounts and manipulated payroll files to redirect company money to himself between October 2024 and April 2025.
Criminal Charges and Attempted Cover-Up
London police arrested Richardson last month and formally charged him with fraud exceeding $5,000 and laundering the proceeds of crime. The civil lawsuit provides additional disturbing details about Richardson's alleged attempts to conceal his activities.
During a recorded conversation with Brookstone president Ken Sherman on April 16, 2025, Richardson reportedly admitted to using the company credit card for gambling purposes. He was immediately terminated with cause following this admission. However, before returning his company-issued laptop, Richardson allegedly sent a text message to a coworker boasting that he had "wiped clean" the computer.
The lawsuit states: "The defendant intentionally destroyed Brookstone's data by wiping Brookstone's laptop computer to conceal evidence of his theft, hindering Brookstone's investigation and recovery efforts."
Financial Impact and Legal Demands
Brookstone has calculated its direct financial loss at $660,770 but warns this figure could increase as their investigation continues. Beyond seeking recovery of the misappropriated funds, the company is pursuing $350,000 in additional damages and requesting a court injunction to prevent Richardson from selling any of his assets during the legal proceedings.
The lawsuit further alleges that when Brookstone's legal counsel sent Richardson a formal demand for repayment, he disputed the amount and threatened to report the company to the Canada Revenue Agency unless they dropped both civil and criminal actions against him. Brookstone characterizes these threats as "extortion and intimidation" in their legal filing.
Legal Context and Next Steps
It is important to note that statements of claim contain allegations that have not yet been tested in court. Richardson has not filed a statement of defence at this time. The lawsuit accuses him of multiple violations including breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, theft, and intentional destruction of company property.
Brookstone Windows and Doors, which operates retail locations across southern Ontario including their London store at 45 Meg Drive, now faces the challenging process of recovering substantial financial losses while navigating parallel civil and criminal proceedings against their former employee.
