Barrie man charged with nearly 50 counts of fraud after lengthy investigation

A person is shown in handcuffs in this file image.

A Barrie man has been arrested and faces nearly 50 counts of fraud following a police investigation launched in 2022.

Ontario Provincial Police with the Caledon detachment say a business contacted officials regarding one of its accounts being used fraudulently, prompting the OPP Major Crime Unit to initiate an investigation.

Following the lengthy probe, police arrested a 34-year-old from Barrie this week, who now faces 41 counts of fraud under $5,000 and six counts of fraud over $5,000.

He is scheduled to answer to the charges in an Orangeville court next month.

No further information was released regarding the details of the case.

“Fraud can affect anyone and it’s important to report it to police,” OPP stated. “Knowledge is power. Regardless of age or gender, everyone can take basic steps to better protect themselves, family and friends from becoming victims of fraud."

The public is encouraged to report incidents of fraud to the authorities and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or online.