A lengthy trial is expected in an alleged multimillion-dollar fraud scheme involving a Sylvan Lake man.
Crown prosecutor David MacKenzie said in Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench on Monday that 20 days had been proposed initially for Dane Michael Skinner’s trial on charges of fraud, uttering threats and laundering the proceeds of crime.
However, his defence lawyer, Brian Beresh, of Edmonton, had expressed concern that was not going to be enough time.
Police allege Skinner was claiming to sell a product that made fracking operations at oil wells cheaper and more environmentally friendly.
An officer with the RCMP’s commercial crime unit said when the charges were announced in July 2018 that investors were pitched an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a revolutionary new fracking product.
The product had never been tested in a commercial setting or at a real oilwell, police allege.
Blackfalds RCMP allege at least 16 people sank money into the scheme and backers lost more than $2.6 million. The offences took place between December 2007 and February 2013.
Police, including Red Deer RCMP’s financial crimes unit, began investigating in 2013.
Skinner, then 53, was arrested and charged this past July.
Justice Marilyn Slawinsky questioned lawyers closely about why more court time would be needed.
The trial co-ordinator had been told at one point that up to eight weeks may need to be set aside.
Slawinsky agreed to adjourn the case until Oct. 7, saying a trial date must be set then. She also wanted the accused, his lawyer and the Crown prosecutor assigned to the case to be in court that day.
The judge said she wanted to know how much trial time would be needed and what pre-trial applications might be coming.