Latest news with #Charron
Cision Canada
5 days ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
Quarterhill Appoints David Charron as Chief Financial Officer
Experienced public technology company CFO brings deep capital markets and M&A expertise to support Quarterhill's next growth phase TORONTO, June 6, 2025 /CNW/ - Quarterhill Inc. ("Quarterhill" or the "Company") (TSX: QTRH) (OTCQX: QTRHF), today announced the appointment of as Chief Financial Officer ("CFO"), effective June 17, 2025. Mr. Charron brings more than 15 years of public company CFO experience and a proven track record of driving growth and operational excellence in global technology businesses. "We are pleased to welcome David to our leadership team at this pivotal moment in Quarterhill's evolution," said Chuck Myers, Chief Executive Officer at Quarterhill. "We have made important progress in our turnaround efforts over the past 18 months and are now in the late innings of this transformation. David's extensive public technology company experience, governance expertise, and proven M&A track record make him the ideal leader to help us execute on our next phase of growth." Mr. Charron most recently served as CFO at Maropost Inc., a global private SaaS company. Prior to that, he spent three years as CFO of Tiny Ltd./WeCommerce Holdings Inc., a publicly traded technology holding company. His public company experience includes four years as CFO of Terago Networks Inc., during which time he also served as Interim CEO for six months, as well as at Redknee Solutions Inc., where he served as CFO and Corporate Secretary for eight years. At Redknee, Mr. Charron successfully closed and integrated five acquisitions, while completing $240 million in equity and credit financings. Mr. Charron currently serves as Board Director and Chair of the Audit Committee for NowVertical Group, a publicly traded AI-focused data services company. He holds a Chartered Director designation from The Directors College at McMaster University, is a Chartered Professional Accountant and Certified Management Accountant, and earned his MBA from McMaster University's DeGroote School of Business and Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) from McMaster University. Added Mr. Myers: "I'd also like to thank Morgan Demkey for his dedicated service as Interim CFO during this transition period. Morgan will return to his full-time role as Vice President of Operations for our Safety & Enforcement unit, where he has consistently delivered strong results." About Quarterhill Quarterhill is a leading provider of tolling, safety and enforcement, and logistics solutions in the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) industry. Our goal is technology-driven global leadership in ITS, via organic growth of our businesses, and by continuing an acquisition-oriented investment strategy that capitalizes on attractive growth opportunities within ITS and its adjacent markets. Quarterhill is listed on the TSX under the symbol QTRH and on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol QTRHF. For more information: Forward-looking Information This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements relate to future events, conditions or future financial performance of Quarterhill based on future economic conditions and courses of action. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of any words such as "seek", "anticipate", "budget", "plan", "goal", "expect" and similar expressions. Specifically, this news release contains forward-looking statements relating to, but not limited to: the Company's turnaround efforts and results thereof; and the success and impact of the Company's execution of its next phase of growth. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Material risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this news release include, among others, demand for Quarterhill's products and services; general economic and market conditions; competition; risks relating to technological advances and cyber-security; force majeure risks; and other risks set forth in the Company's most recent annual information form available on SEDAR+ at The Company believes the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. Material factors and assumptions used to develop the forward-looking statements contained in this news release include, among others: Quarterhill's ability to execute on its business plan; demand for Quarterhill's products and services; operating assumptions; and financial projections and cost estimates. These foregoing lists are not exhaustive. Additional information on these and other factors which could affect the Company's operations or financial results are included in the Company's most recent annual information form and other public documents on file with the Canadian Securities regulatory authorities on The forward-looking statements represent the Company's views as at the date of this news release. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual events and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities law.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Idaho Medicaid to be privately managed in 2029, health officials officials expect
The state flags hangs from the rotunda of the Idaho State Capitol Building in Boise on Jan. 7, 2025. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) Idaho health officials say it'll take years to switch all Idaho Medicaid benefits to being managed by private companies. Through a sweeping bill meant to cut Medicaid costs, the Idaho Legislature this year directed the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to change a range of Medicaid policies — including to pursue switching Medicaid benefits to being run by private companies. That model, called managed care, is used widely across the country. Right now, Idaho Medicaid already uses managed care — somewhat. But it's more of a patchwork approach, where some services are managed by the state health department, some by managed care organizations, and some by doctors' offices. Shifting Idaho Medicaid to managed care will take time to do well, Idaho Medicaid Deputy Director Juliet Charron told a panel of state lawmakers late last month. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare expects the new comprehensive Idaho Medicaid managed care contract to start in 2029, following years of prep work, she told the Idaho Legislature's Medicaid Review Panel on May 22. 'We have been evaluating all of the different scenarios and timelines under which we could implement this — looking at it as early as 2027 or 2028 — and have determined' that going much earlier is risky, Charron said. 'Because you're going to start to have pieces overlapping throughout this. And that will be particularly challenging for our provider communities.' Medicaid is a largely federally funded health care assistance program that covers about 260,000 Idahoans, including low-income earners, people with disabilities, pregnant women, and some older people. Roughly 92,000 Idahoans are enrolled in Medicaid expansion, a voter-approved policy that raised the income eligibility cap. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Idaho governor signs bill to privatize management, add work requirements to Medicaid program The new Idaho Medicaid cost cutting bill also called for Idaho to seek federal approval for Medicaid work requirements for able-bodied adults. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare plans to apply for that by July 2026. The federal spending and tax cut bill being considered by Congress might ease the process for Idaho to seek Medicaid work requirements. Instead of applying for a Medicaid waiver that could temporarily allow for work requirements, Idaho could seek a longer-lasting state plan amendment for Medicaid work requirements — if the federal bill becomes law, Charron said. (The bill would require nationwide Medicaid work requirements years later. After passing the U.S. House, it heads to the Senate, where changes are expected.) Other states' experiences and a federal watchdog report suggest costs for Medicaid work requirements are high, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. Since almost half of Idahoans on Medicaid are already working, some advocates say work requirements are effectively just expensive administrative barriers to access the program. Overall, only 6% of Idaho Medicaid enrollees are in comprehensive managed care — the roughly 27,000 Idahoans dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, Idaho Idaho Medicaid Deputy Administrator Sasha O'Connell told the legislative panel. CONTACT US Idaho's existing Medicaid managed care contracts mostly carve out private management for certain benefits, like mental health, medical transportation and dental. That split makes it complicated for the state to oversee, O'Connell said. 'What this has led to is we have particularly high turnover, I would say, in state agencies. And I think that that happens in Medicaid as well,' she said. The various contracts have put Idaho Medicaid's limited staff in a cycle of 'amending these contracts constantly,' she said, instead of putting the contracts up for a new competitive bid, a process called procurement. 'Because procurement is such a huge lift,' O'Connell said. Idaho is also on track to end doctors' offices managing Medicaid benefits next year, Charron told lawmakers. The new Idaho Medicaid cost cutting bill called for the end of that model, called value-based care, which is unique to Idaho and has existed for a few years. The new Idaho Medicaid managed care contract is likely to become the biggest contract given out by the state of Idaho. Idaho's contract for the company Magellan to run mental health Medicaid benefits is already the state's largest contract, initially pegged at $1.4 billion over four years. Like under Idaho Medicaid's first managed care mental health organization, Idaho Medicaid providers have reported payment delays from Magellan, the Idaho Capital Sun reported. Sen. Kevin Cook, R-Idaho Falls, raised that issue to Idaho health officials. 'You're saying, I'm getting reports back from the (managed care organization), and they're saying, 'Everything is great. All of our providers are happy. They're loving it,'' Cook said. ''That's like asking the fox, … 'How's the hen house?'' Idaho's existing managed care contracts will be phased out for the broader contract to come. Idaho Medicaid mental health contractor hires three state government employees 'Idaho is a very large state. But our health care infrastructure is somewhat limited. And people access health care all over the state. Frequently, we are sending Medicaid participants to different parts of the state, based on the service that they need,' Charron said. The new contract will task three different managed care organizations to run Idaho Medicaid benefits, for a few reasons, she explained, like: Federal requirements for Medicaid enrollees to have choice under managed care; Creating competition between companies to drive efficiencies; and Redundancy, in case a plan terminates. Before Idaho launches the new managed care contract, Idaho has a lot of preparation to do, state health officials say. Like engaging stakeholders, seeking out more information and contracting out for actuarial services, a pharmacy benefits manager (PBM), a new enrollment broker for Medicaid enrollees to pick managed care plans, and Idaho Medicaid's information system. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘Our Planet Our Power': Earth Day and clean energy in Alabama
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Earth Day was founded 55 years ago by several U.S. congressmembers in response to rampant pollution. Decades later, people from all over the globe come together on Earth Day to celebrate our common home and advocate for sustainable policy. 'The environment's for everybody,' said Earth Day Spokesperson Aidan Charron. 'Doesn't matter what side of the aisle you're on, our mission still remains the same.' 📲 to stay updated on the go. 📧 to have news sent to your inbox. Charron said that Earth Day is a yearly reminder that we are all connected, and our natural resources are worth protecting. 'We rely on everything on our planet,' he said. 'The clean air we breathe is dependent on how we treat our planet. The food we eat depends on how well we treat our planet.' This year, Earth Day's theme is 'Our Power Our Planet.' It alludes to the Earth Day Organization's goal to triple our use of clean and renewable energy by 2030. Energy Alabama is a nonprofit that advocates for clean energy in Madison County. Executive Director Daniel Tait says there are misconceptions around renewable energy being expensive or inefficient, but it can be more affordable in the long run. 'Clean energy, things like solar and wind, even, and wind coupled with battery storage right now are cheaper than the fossil fuel plants, like coal and gas,' said Tait. 'If you've spent a summer in Alabama, you know that the sun is quite powerful, right? And then we also have batteries and other types of technologies to store that and use it for later, when the sun's light shining, so we know how to solve these problems from a reliability standpoint and from a cost standpoint.' Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant already supplies power to several different states, but Energy Alabama's goal is to have the state rely completely on clean energy by 2050. Tait said that solar communities, or neighborhoods that draw from a communal solar grid, are a cost-effective way to use clean energy. 'It would take some legislation in order to allow that to be able to happen, but it would be a tremendously beneficial resource because it's extremely low cost and efficient and really gets the whole community working together towards the same goal,' he said. Tait and Charron said that you can celebrate Earth Day by taking steps as small as turning off the lights when you leave a room, to contacting your utilities company or representatives to advocate for clean energy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Los Angeles Times
21-04-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Trial begins for man accused of abusing, killing girlfriend after he was kicked out of Huntington Beach apartment
Prosecutors making opening statements Monday in the trial of Craig Charron said he beat and manipulated Laura Sardinha before she kicked him out of their Huntington Beach apartment Sept. 2 2020, but he came back and killed her while she was on a conference call with her mother and best friend. Attorneys for the defendant did not dispute Charron stabbed his girlfriend to death nearly five years ago. But they say he acted in the heat of passion and in self defense. The couple began dating in June 2020, and had moved into an apartment on the 8400 block of Jenny Drive by July, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Text exchanges between them suggest he had become physically abusive just weeks later. 'I'm locking myself in a box because I can't even drive anymore,' Sardinha wrote in a message to Charron dated Aug.15 of that year. 'You blew out my ear drum.' Charron was heard threatening to 'end this relationship' if the victim refused to massage his calves in videos recorded the following day, before she went to a hospital. Medical records that will be presented in court verify her injury, Senior Deputy Dist. Atty. Janine Madera said. In footage captured the morning Charron killed Sardinha he is heard repeatedly asking for her permission to have a friend over, noting that the visitor and defendant had been intimately involved. 'You're trying to f—- with me and be mean,' Sardinha replied. '...I can't wait to tell her how you beat the s—- out of me.' By that point, she was done with Charron, according to testimony from her mother and best friend. They were among about a dozen of Sardinha's loved ones who showed up at the trial Monday and heard detailed accounts about her final moments alive. Some embraced each other while sobbing in the hallway outside of the courtroom between proceedings. The victim went to her apartment's leasing office, had Charron evicted at about 11:30 a.m. Relatives said she felt relieved to be rid of him. 'She was happy, and I was happy for her,' the victim's friend of 21 years, Shaina Smith, recalled of the last conversation she had with Sardinha. 'And then things changed very suddenly.' Charron showed up at the apartment in the middle of that call. Cries of 'Please don't hurt me,' and 'No' are heard before Sardinha's phone falls to the ground, according to transcripts and recordings played Monday. The victim's mother, Marie Sardinha, who was still on the line at the time, said her daughter 'just kept screaming.' She and Smith hung up to call police. Laura Sardinha called back and wound up leaving a voice message for Smith, in which she is heard 'narrating a portion of her own murder,' Madera said. First responders found Charron's girlfriend curled up in a ball on their bathroom floor, Madera said. She had suffered two stab wounds to the chest as well as numerous slashes to her hands and face. Charron, who is 10 years older than the victim and 10 inches taller, sustained cuts to his left hand as well as lacerations to his chest and throat. He had to be rushed to a hospital for what defense attorneys described as 'nearly mortal' injuries. They claim the defendant acted on impulse, and then on instinct as the altercation unfolded in order to defend himself. Prosecutors claimed the lacerations to Charron's throat were self-inflicted. They also accused the defendant of planting one of the three bloody knives found in their apartment near the victim's body. Madera also pointed out that Laura Sardinha had difficulty gripping knives or reaching out with her right arm following a motorcycle crash in 2019. However, defense attorneys noted that the victim worked as a bar back at HQ Gastropub in Huntington Beach, and would have had the ability to hold at least some objects — or a potential weapon — with her hands. Laura Sardinha was 25 when she died. She was pursuing a psychology degree online with Purdue Global, her mother said.
CBC
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Woman claims she's victim of 'love bombing,' owed thousands
Like a scene from one of her favourite romance novels, Christina MacCrimmon recalls dancing in the kitchen with the man who she thought was the love of her life. "He called it 'Romance Fridays' and he'd send me these love songs," MacCrimmon recalled. "He treated me with such love and devotion, he just had me on this pedestal." But this story doesn't have a happy ending. MacCrimmon says the whirlwind, two-month romance has left her nearly $300,000 in debt and married to a man she now alleges manipulated her to gain access to her money. With police saying it will take a long time to investigate and no money to hire a lawyer, MacCrimmon says she has nowhere to turn. CBC has discovered the same man has been accused of fraud by multiple people and is facing a number of civil and small claims lawsuits concerning his contracting business. I felt that I finally met somebody who is my soulmate. - Christina MacCrimmon MacCrimmon, 49, started dating Francis Charron, 48, in November 2023, and fell head over heels. "He portrayed himself to be that perfect. He found out exactly what I wanted in somebody and then behaved and was that perfect man," she recalled. They got engaged on Dec. 19, 2023. Just 10 days later, her world came crashing down. MacCrimmon said Charron told her and her parents that he likely had terminal brain cancer. "We were all crying. I was a mess at Christmas because I thought he was dying," she recalled from her home in Ottawa. They got married shortly after on Jan. 21, 2024. Before the wedding, in a Facebook message to MacCrimmon's father, Charron confirmed the illness, writing: "I have stage 4 brain cancer." MacCrimmon and her family are devout Christians and living together before marriage wasn't an option. So they sped things up, mostly because Charron was sick and MacCrimmon wanted to take care of him, but also because she said Charron told her he wanted to protect assets from his ex by transferring them into MacCrimmon's name. He told her it's free to transfer assets like trailers and vehicles to your spouse because there's no tax. She agreed. "You know, when you're at this age, people have that kind of baggage … but I felt that I finally met somebody who is my soulmate," she said. The ceremony was small, with only MacCrimmon's eldest child, her parents and two of Charron's kids in attendance. She said the plan was to have a full celebration later in the year. "It was literally to make it legal so that we can take care of business for him and so that I could take care of him and move in with him," said MacCrimmon. Denial and heartbreak But just two days later, MacCrimmon said Charron was storming out of her house, whipping her cellphone against a brick wall and yelling at her. The moment was captured on security camera footage that has been viewed by CBC. "You too, you fat bitch!" Charron can be heard yelling at her. "By the way, just because you did this, I will go bankrupt and take everything you have!" MacCrimmon said the fight was about her not telling her ex about their marriage. It was the beginning of the end of their relationship, although they remain legally married. "He took everything. This is my whole life, this is my savings. I'm going to be struggling to even retire now," MacCrimmon said, fighting tears. After a long period of denial and heartbreak, she's now convinced Charron never had nor even believed he had cancer, and targeted her for money, taking advantage of her trusting nature, kindness and compassion. She alleges he manipulated her into loaning him money by "love bombing" her with affection and compliments, but also by making her feel sorry for him because of his own financial hardships. Over the brief course of their two-month relationship, MacCrimmon said she loaned Charron money from her line of credit, allowed him to use her credit card and eventually added him as a supplementary card holder. She said she had to increased the limit because the card was maxed out by his spending. MacCrimmon said she also refinanced her home to help Charron pay off high-interest debt and keep his business afloat. He was also added as a co-borrower on the home equity line of credit, but MacCrimmon said the home is solely owned by her, which now puts her at risk of default. "He definitely targeted me because he knew that I had excellent credit, he knew that I had my life together, I owned my own house, I have my own car," she said, adding she lives a modest lifestyle earning about $50,000 a year. In the end, she wrote in her police report Charron owes her nearly $300,000. CBC contacted Charron to get his side of the story, but his lawyer declined an interview. Prior to that refusal, Charron did provide some written responses to CBC's questions. In an email, Charron wrote: "I am not those things and loved Christina very much." He said he left because his "emotional and mental health was very toxic," and that he intends to pay his "half of the debts." Charron also denied saying he ever had brain cancer. MacCrimmon reported her story to the Ottawa Police Service (OPS), but said she was told there is a lengthy backlog because of a high volume of claims and a shortage of resources. While she isn't hopeful she'll ever get any of her money back, MacCrimmon said she wanted to go public to warn others about a man who she says betrayed her trust. List of litigation A CBC investigation found Charron has a list of civil and small claims lawsuits against him and his companies, SLC Contracting Inc. and SLC Innovations Inc. During the investigation, CBC dug up five civil lawsuits and three small claims suits in Ontario involving Charron and his companies. "I honestly believe he came onto our property and he found another victim," said Trish Calof. She and her husband hired Charron in June 2024 to build their dream backyard. The Calofs said they came across SLC Contracting Inc. on the Best in Ottawa website where it was rated Number 1 for retaining walls. They said the company also had an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau website at the time. That website now lists the company's accreditation as "currently suspended." "He had all the right answers," said Ron Calof. He said Charron's reference checked out and there were no red flags raised during their initial communication. The couple said they paid Charron a $20,000 deposit and signed a contract with a planned payment schedule based on completion of work. After they paid the deposit, they say the requests for more money kept coming despite the work not being done. The Calofs said Charron continued to threaten bankruptcy if he didn't receive additional funds for the project, and also asked for money for insurance to keep the project moving. I believe he came in there with that intent, to come get a bunch of money from us, do a little bit of work and then leave. - Trish Calof Ultimately, the Calofs said they paid SLC Contracting Inc. a total of $45,840.42, only to be left with their backyard torn up and a retaining wall that they said needs to be replaced. In September 2024, the Calofs sued Charron in small claims court and won, receiving a $35,000 judgment in their favour, the highest amount allotted in that court. They have yet to see a dime of that money. "I believe he came in there with that intent, to come get a bunch of money from us, do a little bit of work and then leave," Trish Calof said. Their lawyer Michael Rankin, a senior partner in Gowling WLG's Ottawa office, provided some pro bono advice to the Calofs and said he was involved in the case on a peripheral basis. "It appeared obvious from my assessment of that case that the contractor had no intention whatsoever of completing the project, even though he had received very substantial money from the plaintiffs in that case," Rankin said. Speaking about fraud in general, Rankin said wilful deceit and misrepresentation are "at the heart of fraud," and that often there is a pattern of behaviour. "In my experience, there are many what I would call serial fraudsters that are out there in the community and that have many victims," he said. CBC also reviewed case documents from other disputes involving Charron and/or his companies including two civil suits where a judgment was ordered against him in the amounts of $73,300 for an unfinished basement renovation, and $88,852.21 for unpaid fuel products. Charron admits he's made mistakes. "I'm not proud of the mistakes I've made, but I am not a criminal. I'm not a fraud artist. Nobody talks about the good jobs we've done, that's the way life works. You screw up, you answer for it," he wrote in an email to CBC. Charron is also embroiled in other ongoing civil and small claims disputes involving his company, but none of the allegations has been tested in court. In one ongoing case, Adam Thompson is trying to recoup his alleged losses from a man he trusted. "Francis is a charming guy, like gregarious. He's loud, he's rough around the edges, but so am I. So like, we seem to get along with that," Thompson said. "In retrospect, I feel he's really good at mirroring, and he maybe presents differently to different people." Their dispute is over a contract for the removal and reinstallation of retaining walls beside Thompson's driveway. Thompson is suing Charron for breach of contract in the amount of $35,000 plus interest. Charron disputes the claim, saying in defence documents the project was delayed due to rain, and issues with personnel and materials. He also said Thompson was verbally violent, a claim Thompson denies. Similar to the Calofs' case, Thompson said he also sent Charron an additional $3,000 to pay for insurance to keep his trucks on the road. "When you're in the middle of a project and you've got your yard torn up and you have a contractor saying I need to pay my insurance, of course alarm bells are going off like crazy. But you're dealing with embarrassment and also like a panic to try to get to the finish line," Thompson said. None of these allegations has been proven. Thompson's driveway remains unfinished with a retaining wall he said needs to be replaced. Hard to get money back In some cases, court orders contained in civil and small claims judgments go unfulfilled, according to Jennifer Quaid, an associate professor in the civil section of the law faculty at the University of Ottawa. She said it's especially difficult if the individual has no assets or is able to keep their assets away from authorities by transferring them to other people. "And that is a problem. We don't anymore have the concept of going to prison in lieu of paying your debts," Quaid said, adding it's not an idea she thinks society should bring back. Quaid said bad actors have a way of skirting the rules. Take the bankruptcy system, for example. "The bankruptcy system is designed to help people in financial difficulty have an orderly winding up of their affairs and to be able to start afresh ... but there are of course circumstances where the ability to dissolve a company and then create a new one gives you a fresh start to start more schemes," she said. A search on the Superintendent of Bankruptcy website found four Francis Charrons with the same birth date as the Francis Charron who owns SLC Contracting Inc. claimed bankruptcy in 2004, 2012, 2013, and 2017. He's also changed company names at least once. The Ontario Business Registry shows SLC Innovations Inc. was registered in August 2020, and SLC Contractors Inc. was registered in October 2022. A series of online complaints and warnings about Charron dates back to 2014. Taking complaints to social media Some people who say they've lost money to Charron have taken their complaints to social media, including Jennifer Benedict and Kevin McCartney. They said they sent Charron $4,200 in September 2024 for a wood shed he was selling online, but it never arrived. The owner of Crawford Sheds Inc., a local shed builder in Ottawa, confirmed to CBC that Charron had purchased the shed in question from them but did not provide payment upon delivery, so it was eventually returned to their lot. "[I'm] just angry that someone is allowed to be in our community and doing this to other people," said Jennifer Benedict. The couple has now received $4,000 back from Charron after months of asking for the money and a report to OPS. "So we got our money back, but it's somebody else's money probably.... That's likely what's going on, so it just continues," Kevin McCartney said. Charron said the shed was a "bad decision." "I plan to use the money to pay off the shed. The shed was repossessed before I could pay them. My company was running drastically in the red. The money was gone," he wrote. Triaging fraud cases The majority of people CBC spoke to for this story took their concerns about Charron to the police, but have yet to see any action. The OPS is swamped when it comes to fraud complaints, according to Det. Shaun Wahbeh, who has spent the past 13 years working in the fraud department. "We have a two-year backlog right now with Ottawa police, and most police forces are the same," he said, adding he can't comment on specific cases. "Fraud is probably the most reported crime right now. Like we'll come back on a Monday morning and there will be 70 new fraud files, so that's how crazy it is. And then we have to go through them all to see if they're investigatable," Wahbeh said. It's not just the number of cases that makes it tough to follow up on fraud files. Wahbeh said the nature of the fraud itself has changed, with the majority happening online and money being transferred out of the country. He said the department triages each case like a hospital triages patients. "We read every file that comes in and look at solvability factors," he said, noting the amount of money lost does not necessarily play a role. We can't police our way out of fraud. It's like the war on drugs — look how that worked. - Det.-Sgt. John Armit, OPP "It has no relevance whether it's a $1 million or $10,000…. It's what can we follow up on it, and is it in the best public interest? And Number 2, will the courts run with it? Courts don't run with every single fraud file we give them. They focus more on the violent crimes," Wahbeh said. Last year, Canadians lost nearly $638 million to fraud, according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. That's up from $578 million in 2023. "We can't police our way out of fraud. It's like the war on drugs — look how that worked," said John Armit, a detective sergeant with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) anti-rackets branch. Armit, who has been with the provincial police force for 24 years, said similar to OPS, OPP has a significant backlog. He said victims need to advocate for themselves and build their case to give as much information as possible to police. "I try to empower the victim to start being their own detective, gather that information, help build that package for the investigator," he said. "Squeaky wheel gets the grease." Armit explained that sometimes victims of fraud don't know how prolific a fraudster is, adding it's crucial to report to police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. "I always say, taking down a buffalo can be done with a million mosquitoes," Armit said, adding the best tool to fight fraud is prevention and awareness. He said the OPP is working with its members and the public to educate them on what exactly fraud is, so they can decide whether to pursue charges criminally or take the matter to civil court. 'Unimaginable' behaviour MacCrimmon said for now, she's at a standstill. She reported her story to police, but doesn't have enough money to hire a lawyer to pursue civil litigation, nor even attempt to annul the marriage or file for divorce. This past October, long after their relationship ended, she said Charron renewed her mortgage early — without her permission — at a higher interest rate. She believes it was an attempt to add to her financial burden and force her to sell the house to relieve him of the debt. "I know it's just [a] simple townhouse, but it was really hard to start over from my previous relationships. I used my retirement savings to purchase it," she said. MacCrimmon said Charron told her he doesn't care if she ends up homeless. While CBC did receive some responses from Charron, he did not respond to all the allegations or follow-up requests for clarification. "It's just unimaginable to think that somebody can honestly do what he has done and still be able to live with themselves the next day," MacCrimmon said.
