The former financial planner and two suspected counterparts are accused of bilking several clients out of millions of dollars through phoney investment opportunities, according to the RCMP.
A former Montreal financial planner, and two others, have been charged with fraud for allegedly bilking five victims of more than $4 million.
The suspects - ex-financial planner Daniel l’Heureux, 56, ex-lawyer Claude Lemay, 65, and Barbara Gagnon-Bernier, 41 - allegedly solicited investments in real estate development projects or online financial counselling services, the RCMP said in a release issued Thursday.
“In fact, it is alleged that the accused converted the victims’ investments to their own use, and that they transferred part of the investors’ money to companies they owned,” the statement said.
The trio were under investigation by the Integrated Market Enforcement Team (IMET). L’Heureux had been under the Quebec’s Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) radar for several years. In 2012, the regulator launched penal proceedings against L’Heureux and his company, Nosfinances.com, which no longer exists.
In August 2011, the AMF issued cease trade and freeze orders against L’Heureux and his companies and in late 2012, the AMF followed up with additional freeze and cease trade orders against Lemay, Gagnon-Bernier, and a third person, indentified as Jean-Pierre Perreault.
The suspects - ex-financial planner Daniel l’Heureux, 56, ex-lawyer Claude Lemay, 65, and Barbara Gagnon-Bernier, 41 - allegedly solicited investments in real estate development projects or online financial counselling services, the RCMP said in a release issued Thursday.
“In fact, it is alleged that the accused converted the victims’ investments to their own use, and that they transferred part of the investors’ money to companies they owned,” the statement said.
The trio were under investigation by the Integrated Market Enforcement Team (IMET). L’Heureux had been under the Quebec’s Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) radar for several years. In 2012, the regulator launched penal proceedings against L’Heureux and his company, Nosfinances.com, which no longer exists.
In August 2011, the AMF issued cease trade and freeze orders against L’Heureux and his companies and in late 2012, the AMF followed up with additional freeze and cease trade orders against Lemay, Gagnon-Bernier, and a third person, indentified as Jean-Pierre Perreault.
Authorities believe that the three individuals were trying to sidestep the orders against l’Heureux completing transactions on his behalf through their own accounts.
The suspects appared in Montreal court Thursday.
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