A Calgary man has been charged with fraud and money laundering after allegedly defrauding several victims out of more than $1.3 million through a Ponzi scheme disguised as an investment opportunity in wine purchases.Brian Robert Gunsten, 52, is accused of orchestrating the scam between January 2020 and February 2021.According to police, Gunsten approached multiple individuals with a purported low-risk, high-return investment opportunity. He allegedly promised victims that their short-term loans would be used to purchase wine, which would then be resold to a confirmed buyer for a profit. Gunsten assured the investors that their loans would be repaid within a short timeframe, with added interest.However, after failing to receive their promised returns, the victims realized that the investment opportunity was a scam. Investigators believe that instead of buying and reselling wine as claimed, Gunsten used funds from new investors to pay off earlier victims, a classic hallmark of a Ponzi scheme.Bank records obtained during the investigation confirmed that the funds provided by the victims were deposited into accounts belonging to Gunsten and were not used for the purposes described to the investors.Gunsten now faces charges of fraud over $5,000 and money laundering. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 16.Authorities are urging anyone with information about this case or similar incidents to contact the police at 403-266-1234. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-8477, visiting www.calgarycrimestoppers.org, or using the P3 Tips app..This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.
A Calgary man has been charged with fraud and money laundering after allegedly defrauding several victims out of more than $1.3 million through a Ponzi scheme disguised as an investment opportunity in wine purchases.Brian Robert Gunsten, 52, is accused of orchestrating the scam between January 2020 and February 2021.According to police, Gunsten approached multiple individuals with a purported low-risk, high-return investment opportunity. He allegedly promised victims that their short-term loans would be used to purchase wine, which would then be resold to a confirmed buyer for a profit. Gunsten assured the investors that their loans would be repaid within a short timeframe, with added interest.However, after failing to receive their promised returns, the victims realized that the investment opportunity was a scam. Investigators believe that instead of buying and reselling wine as claimed, Gunsten used funds from new investors to pay off earlier victims, a classic hallmark of a Ponzi scheme.Bank records obtained during the investigation confirmed that the funds provided by the victims were deposited into accounts belonging to Gunsten and were not used for the purposes described to the investors.Gunsten now faces charges of fraud over $5,000 and money laundering. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 16.Authorities are urging anyone with information about this case or similar incidents to contact the police at 403-266-1234. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-8477, visiting www.calgarycrimestoppers.org, or using the P3 Tips app..This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.
