Accountant David Reiner, who had been living in Uganda, was arrested after his arrival at Pearson airport in Toronto Wednesday night. (CBC)

A Toronto accountant who fled Canada nearly two years ago after allegedly stealing about $800,000 from daycare centres was arrested Wednesday night after stepping off a plane at Toronto's Pearson International Airport.

David Reiner, 61, faces 42 counts of fraud and theft involving 21 Toronto daycares, which used him as their bookkeeper.

The charges were laid shortly after Reiner disappeared in September 2006, leaving behind his wife, two daughters and a home in High Park in west-end Toronto.

He had reportedly been living in Kenya before turning up recently in Uganda.

CBC's The Fifth Estate tracked down Reiner in Uganda, where Hana Gartner interviewed him about his alleged crimes, his time on the run and his disillusionment and desire to return to Canada to face justice.

Reiner was out of money, but Canadian authorities in Kampala turned down his request to be flown back to Canada.

At the suggestion of The Fifth Estate team, he accompanied them on their return flight to Toronto, where it had been arranged that he would surrender to police.

Bookkeeping discrepancies were first noticed in September 2006 when several daycares checked their books after Reiner resigned without notice.

The discovery prompted Toronto police to ask all the centres that used the accountant's services to check whether their accounts and payments were in order.

On Reiner's website, which chronicled his work experience, he listed more than 40 child-care clients, calling it "a bit of a specialty with me."

A check showed 21 daycares were missing funds, with amounts ranging from $5,000 to $145,000.

Reiner is expected to make an appearance in a Toronto courtroom at 10 a.m. Thursday.

The Fifth Estate will broadcast the complete story, including its exclusive interview with Reiner, when its new season premieres this fall.