RCMP charge Ontario man over alleged scam

An Ontario man is facing charges from the RCMP in Nova Scotia, in connection with an alleged investment scam.

After investigating a complaint about an alleged online investment scam from an investor in Nova Scotia, the Lunenburg District RCMP charged John L. Marshall, 65, of Palgrave, Ont., with fraud. 

According to police, the investor, who thought they were dealing with a legitimate U.K.-based firm, attempted to purchase government savings bonds and sent wire transfers to bank accounts that were supposed to be associated with that firm.

According to police, the victims of the scam “were led to believe they would earn interest on their investments,” but when they didn’t receive their expected returns and contacted the legitimate U.K. firm directly, discovered they had been defrauded.

After the local investigation revealed that there were numerous victims of the scam located across the country, the case was referred to the RCMP’s Integrated Market Enforcement Team (IMET) in Calgary, which identified a suspect, “following a lengthy investigation” —  and then notified police in Nova Scotia.

“Fraud investigations are often complex and can span multiple jurisdictions, which makes them challenging,” said Cpl. Dominic Laflamme of the Lunenburg District RCMP, in a release. 

“This case demonstrates how information shared across jurisdictions can help police identify suspects and advance investigations,” he added.

The allegations have not been proven.

Marshall is scheduled to appear in Bridgewater Provincial Court on June 17.

James Langton

James is a senior reporter for Advisor.ca and its sister publication, Investment Executive. He has been reporting on regulation, securities law, industry news and more since 1994.