Accused faces various allegations about failing to provide hay following payment, including the most recent one made in Montana
A trial date for a southern Alberta man who allegedly committed fraud amounting to $800,000 for failing to deliver hay in the province after payment was received has been set for May 2023, a decade after the offence occurred.
Scott James Piggott, 40, was initially charged with fraud in 2015 following a police investigation into the 2013 frauds in Taber, Alta.
A preliminary hearing held in early 2018 set the matter down for trial at Lethbridge Court of Queen’s Bench.
But the matter stalled until a date was set on May 9, 2022, for a one-week trial to take place starting on May 1, 2023.
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However, more fraud charges accumulated against Piggott during the past decade while his trial was delayed.
They involve fraud and theft under $5,000 allegations in Drumheller with offence dates in July 2021.
His next court appearance is scheduled for May 13.
Piggott also faces other 2019 charges out of Taber, in addition to those already set for trial. That matter is expected to come before Taber provincial court May 10.
However, the allegations involving the largest amounts appear to be from Montana. Justice officials there allege Piggott is connected to a fraud scheme that may have seen up to $5 million bilked from ranchers in Montana.
Montana’s attorney general alleges a company connected to Piggott, New Way Ag, placed ads in agricultural publications in the state advertising livestock feed including grain hay, as well as barley and wheat straw but didn’t deliver the products.
New Way Ag advertised its products at between $145 and $225 per ton, delivered, said the state attorney general.
A request for comment from Alberta RCMP on the prevalence of hay fraud was not responded to as of press time.
RCMP could not say if Piggott is in custody at this time.
