A Toronto real estate broker has been charged with criminal breach of trust and criminal breach and will face trial.
Toronto Police allege that Brian DeBose deceived two investors in a series of fake advertisements.
The advertisements featured real estate agents and promised to sell condos for a nominal fee.
Police say that when the two investors were not happy with the deal, they left the ads blank.
DeBosse allegedly posted the ads on Craigslist and the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) found him.
The OSC said the advertisements violated Ontario securities laws, which allow companies to misrepresent a product or service when the product or services are sold for less than the actual purchase price.
Police also say DeBoses is accused of breaching his obligations to his clients by misrepresenting that the condos were sold for a fee.
De Bose will appear in court for a bail hearing on July 24.
Police said DeBosa has been licensed to practice real estate for 20 years and was responsible for more than $300,000 in sales.
He was also charged with fraudulent conduct and fraud.
“We take the safety of our members seriously, and this charge is an unfortunate and unacceptable result of our investigation,” OSC chair Peter Toth said in a statement.
Debs trial date set DeBosses lawyer, Mark Tully, said in an email to CBC News the charges are part of a larger case against the broker and that he has not been charged.
Tully said his client has a reputation for high ethical standards and that the charges against DeBoes were politically motivated.
“There’s nothing that suggests that he’s a racist or an anti-Semite or anything like that,” Tully told CBC News.
The charges are separate from DeBozs case in the Ontario Superior Court, which was scheduled to resume Monday.
The prosecutor’s office says DeBosis has been the subject of a police investigation in the past.
Police are also looking into allegations that DeBosed sold condo units to individuals who did not qualify for them.
In May, police arrested DeBOSse in a condo fraud scheme.
DeBuise’s lawyer, who has not responded to CBC requests for comment, said his clients will be vindicated and will not face a criminal trial.
The lawyer also said that DeBuis client will be “honoured” in court.
De Bosse, who is in his 40s, worked for DeBuises family real estate company for three decades.
In an interview with CBC Toronto in August, DeBous said he did not know his client would face charges.
“He’s been doing his job and doing his research and doing all of this research for decades and years and years, so he’s just happy that he won’t have to deal with that again,” DeBOSE said.
“I’ve got nothing to hide. Nothing.”
