Durham Regional Police say a 73-year-old man from East Gwillimbury has been charged following a fraud investigation related to farmland leasing in Pickering.
According to police, members of the Financial Crimes Unit concluded their investigation on Thursday, July 17. The suspect, who had been leasing land in Pickering, had subleased the property to multiple victims over several years.
Investigators allege that the suspect accepted payment from the victims for the 2025 season but then gave up his lease on the land, allowing a third party to take over and begin farming. As a result, the victims lost access to the land and were defrauded of more than $24,000.
A 73-year-old male of East Gwillimbury was charged and released on an undertaking.