A 60-year-old man from Brampton is facing a slew of charges in connection with a nation-wide lottery scam targeting older adults.
Peel Regional Police (PRP) said in a Sept. 19 news release that a man allegedly contacted people telling them they won millions in a lottery. The caller would then tell the individuals they must pay the taxes for their winnings in order for the funds to be released.
Victims were then advised to send their payments to the suspect in Brampton, police said.
The frauds occurred over a period of two years stating in November 2020.
Law enforcement partners from Moose Jaw, SK, Bridgewater, NS, Thunder Bay, ON, and Timmins, ON assisted PRP with the investigation.
On Sept. 15, investigators from Peel police’s fraud bureau arrested Clive Lothian following a “thorough investigation” that culminated with a search warrant.
The 60-year-old Brampton resident has been charged with four counts of fraud over $5,000, two counts of possession of proceeds of crime, and one count of defraud the public.
Lothian was released with a court date and is set to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton on Oct. 16. The charges have not been proven in court.
Investigators believe that there may be more victims and are asking anyone with information to contact PRP’s fraud bureau at 905-453–2121, ext. 3335, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or peelcrimestoppers.ca.
