An Alberta judge has sentenced an Okanagan man to three years imprisonment for running an illegal Ponzi scheme.
The Lethbridge Herald reports Oliver resident Brian Wilfred Clemens pleaded guilty to fraud and laundering the proceeds of crime.
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The 49-year-old former mortgage associate solicited money from people, saying it would be used for bridge financing for real estate clients, and promising high rates of return.
According to the newspaper nine people handed over about $1.2 million.
In a Ponzi scheme some of the funds collected from new victims is used to pay partial returns to previous investors.
Clemens used much of the money to benefit himself.
He was ordered to pay restitution to his victims.