Two men from Calgary, Alberta were charged in a multi-million-dollar fraud investigation that dates back to 2014, a report said.
The Calgary Police Service declared that two individuals fraudulently offered RV camping sites and cabins and dock space at the hotel situated in British Columbia to numerous unsuspecting people from Calgary.
Police have said that from 2014 to 2017, the man sold RV park properties as the owner and operator of Sweetwater Resort on the shores of Lake Koocanusa, B.C.
According to the CPS, there were other names used for the resort, such as Sweetwater RV Park and Sweetwater at Lake Koocanusa.
Police say over $2 million was taken from several victims who believed they purchased a legitimate lot and dock space.
At least 85 were victims of this fraud, and the majority of them paid more than tens of thousands of dollars to $100,000 to secure lots and boat slips.
According to investigators, the project started in 2010 and was somewhat legal, with some of the lots being sold and developed that enticed people to join.
An investigation was launched after customers approached the police with concerns about the legitimacy of transactions. Police say that customers became suspicious after contact with the lot’s owner began to be less frequent.
Police said they found out that the sales contracts from the transactions were not valid.
Investigators also believed that McMorran acted with an associate who was also allegedly participating in the fraudulent sales of cabin lots while acting as the sales manager for the resort between 2013 and 2016.
Sweetwater RV Park has been ordered to shut down by the Regional District Office of East Kootenay.
Craig Douglas McMorran, aged 61, of Calgary, is accused of fraud of more than $5,000 and one count of money laundering along with one theft charge over $5,000.
Gus Kalabalikis, 53, from Calgary, was accused of more than $5,000 and three fraud charges above $5,000.
McMorran was detained on Thursday, September 16, and is scheduled to appear in court in October. 7.
Kalabalikis was arrested this week. He is scheduled to appear in court on Friday.