N.L. spending scandal nets another guilty plea

Wally Andersen has pleaded guiltyin Newfoundland and Labrador's spending scandal, making him the third politician to do so.

Andersen pleaded guilty in a St. John's court on Tuesday morning to uttering forged documents and breach of trust by a public officer.

The former Liberal MHA resigned his Torngat Mountains seat after the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary charged him in 2007 with fraud, forgery and breach of trust.

Reports filed by N.L. Auditor General John Noseworthy said Andersen received $344,465 more than he was entitled to through his constituency allowances.

Police opened the investigation in the summer of 2006, as Noseworthy released the first reports into constituency allowances and the finances of the house of assembly.

Noseworthy found that the four politicians who were charged received excess payments from their constituency allowances, which are intended to be used to pay for offices, travel, promotional items and other expenses incurred dealing with constituents.

Former Tory cabinet minister Ed Byrne was sentenced to a jail term of two years less a day in April after he admitted to forging documents and faking signatures while stealing more than $117,000 through his tax-free constituency allowances.

Former New Democrat MHA Randy Collins also pleaded guilty to two fraud charges when he appeared in court last week. He'll be sentenced in December.

The trial of former Liberal cabinet minister Jim Walsh, also charged in the corruption scandal, is still working its way through the courts.

Andersen is to be sentenced on Sept. 30.