A 48-year-old man from St. George, N.B., has been charged in connection with two ongoing fraud investigations.
On March 30, 2022, the St. George RCMP detachment received a report of a victim in Ontario who had been defrauded a significant amount of money in a lottery scam.
On August 10, 2022, the St. George RCMP detachment received a report of a second victim in Alberta who had also been defrauded a significant amount of money in the same scam.
Through a subsequent investigation, police were able to identify a 48-year-old man from St. George, N.B., as being a person of interest in both fraud investigations.
On January 20, 2023, Kyle Preston Leslie appeared in Fredericton Provincial Court and was charged with fraud over $5,000, and possession of stolen property over $5,000.
He was released from custody and is scheduled to return to court on June 12.
The Thunder Bay Police Service in Ontario, and the Medicine Hat Police Service in Alberta, both assisted in these investigations.
Anyone who feels that they have been a victim of this type of crime is encouraged to report it on the platform they are using, and report it to their local police. Victims should also notify their financial institution immediately if a fraudulent sale or transaction is suspected. For more information on how to protect yourself online, please visit the Canadian Center for Cyber Security website and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Center at www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraud.ca or call 1-888-495-8501.