The federal Justice Department found that one of its executives committed serious wrongdoing, including the misuse of public funds and gross mismanagement, but the individual retired before any disciplinary action could be taken, according to a report first published by Blacklock's Reporter.

In a disclosure under the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, Attorney General Sean Fraser's department said the executive had authorized work under a contract that was outside the scope of the agreement and approved invoiced services that were not adequately supported by contractual documentation.

Attorney General @SeanFraserMP’s dep't discloses unnamed exec was "retired" for malfeasance but won't say how much money was stolen or why police weren't called. https://t.co/vu0fW79egY @JusticeCanadaEn @MinJusticeEn pic.twitter.com/TyzaeQhaXD

— Blacklock's Reporter (@mindingottawa) July 2, 2026

"The executive was informed of the conclusion of the investigation establishing that wrongdoing had been committed, and was advised the matter would be addressed through a disciplinary process," the department wrote. "However, the executive retired from the public service before any administrative measures could be considered."

The department did not identify the executive, disclose how much public money was involved, say when the misconduct occurred or explain why the matter was not referred to police.

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The executive was found to have committed "misuse of public funds," "gross mismanagement," "a serious breach of a code of conduct," and to have "knowingly direct[ed] or counsel[led] a person to commit a wrongdoing."

According to the department's notice, the findings have prompted a review of internal practices. Managers said employees involved in contracting, procurement and finance would receive additional guidance on identifying irregularities and reporting potential wrongdoing. The department also recommended a workshop on "Understanding Wrongdoing In The Federal Public Sector."

Last year, the department disciplined 37 employees for offences ranging from harassment and "yelling and shouting" to insurance fraud, falsifying résumés and attempts to improperly access secure government computer systems.

The latest disclosure comes as Integrity Commissioner Harriet Solloway has warned that Canada's whistleblower regime is under pressure.

"A large number of cases are not being immediately assigned to investigators as they are already working at full capacity," Solloway told the House of Commons government operations committee last October.

She said timely and thorough investigations into wrongdoing and reprisals are essential to maintaining confidence in public institutions.