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PEI reverend now faces 7 charges after Oshawa widow lost thousands in fraud: police

Durham police have laid charges against a 58-year-old Pickering man in connection with the incident. Durham Regional Police Service / File / Twitter

A reverend from Prince Edward Island is facing additional fraud charges after police allege an elderly widow in Oshawa, Ont., was bilked out of thousands of dollars in a home-repair scheme.

In April, Durham Regional Police charged Rev. Harold Stewart, 66, with fraud under $5,000, unauthorized use of a credit card and possession of stolen property.

They allege that Stewart befriended the 89-year-old widow, who lived alone, and used her credit card without her knowledge.

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Police announced four new counts against Stewart Wednesday, along with charges against four other people in connection with the investigation.

Stewart is additionally charged with fraud over $5,000, false pretenses, uttering forged documents and possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000.

Police have also arrested an Oshawa contractor investigators say initially contacted the “vulnerable” widow about doing home repairs.

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Alexsander Budimirovic, 50, is charged with fraud over $5,000, false pretenses, unauthorized use of a credit card, uttering forged documents, possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000 and four counts of trafficking in credit card data.

Also charged are Oshawa residents Julie Carlson, 49, and Ashley Carlson, 28, with fraud under $5,000, unauthorized use of a credit card and possession of property obtained by crime.

A fifth person, Pasquale Reda, 48 and from Whitby, has been charged with possession of proceeds of crime under $5,000, failure to comply with probation and two counts each of fraud under $5,000 and unauthorized use of a credit card.

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