N.B. man charged with extortion in northern Ont.

Hand with pen over application form (jannoon028)

Northern Ontario police say a N.B. man has been charged with extortion and is accused of using job threats to coerce an employee into co-signing a $45,000 loan.

The criminal charge comes after officers from the James Bay detachment received a complaint on July 17, Ontario Provincial Police said in a news release Friday morning.

“The investigation revealed that on July 31, 2019, the accused, who was in a position of authority over the complainant, demanded they co-sign the loan, implying that their job was at risk if they did not comply,” police said.

• Daily newsletter with the top local stories emailed to your inbox
• Want more local news? Check out the Timmins area page

Payments were made by the accused on the loan until the spring of 2024.

When payments stopped, the complainant – who is from the Cochrane, Ont., area -- noticed their credit score started declining.

“Extortion is a serious criminal offense that exploits fear and power imbalances,” police said.

“The OPP encourages anyone who believes they are being coerced into financial or personal decisions under threat, to report it to the police. No one should feel forced into actions against their will.”

The 46-year-old Fredericton, N.B., man is scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice on Feb. 20.

• Download the CTV News app now
• Get local breaking news alerts