A Lethbridge man has been charged with three offences in relation to a scam involving hay purchases and sales in southern Alberta and possibly beyond.
Scott James Piggott, 33, has been charged with fraud over $5,000, theft over $5,000, and false pretenses over $5,000 following an alleged $800,000 in hay deals.
Piggott was arrested last week and has since been released on bail. He is scheduled to appear in provincial court in Taber, Alta., on June 23.
The Taber Police Service stated in a news release, that the alleged fraud occurred between March and July of 2013. Police said a Taber area agriculture business was defrauded of more than $800,000 when it was not reimbursed for hay.
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Inspector Graham Abela of the Taber Police Service said May 25 that the investigation involved large amounts of financial data, including invoices and bills, and involved liaison with the Calgary police department.
He said information from Canada and the United States was examined before charges were laid.
Abela said Piggott came to the community in early 2013.
Abela said it is possible there are other victims of the alleged scam, though none have come forward since news of the charges. Anyone believing they are affected should contact local police.
