Police charge Ontario taxidermist over alleged polar bear pelt fraud

Police say an Ontario taxidermist is facing fraud charges related to polar bear pelts.

Durham Regional Police say two people asked an Uxbridge, Ont., man who ran a taxidermy business to work on a polar bear pelt in 2018.

Investigators say the man returned the pelt, which had been obtained legally, to the pair, and they brought him another pelt.

Police say the customers suspected the first pelt was not the original, and the second pelt also appeared to be a different one when the taxidermist returned it.

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The force says 63-year-old Cyril D’Souza has been charged with fraud over $5,000 and fraud under $5,000.

Investigators are asking people with information to come forward.