76 replies to this topic

[Zoe]

Here's the latest on Len Barrie's court proceedings with Revenue Canada and others.
- More charges added
- Phil LeSeur also charged
- Barrie sues accounting firm
- ScamFraudReport.org on Barrie

Len Barrie, former CEO of the failed Bear Mountain Resort and other companies, has pleaded "not guilty" to two charges of failing to file taxes. The trial is set to begin January 7, 2013 in Victoria's criminal court.

Meanwhile, four new tax charges were laid in February. Barrie is expected to enter a plea on those charges March 29.

According to Barrie's lawyer, his case may be linked to a similar set of charges against Phil LeSeur, a former vice-president of Bear Mountain. LeSeur is facing 15 counts of violating the tax act. He is ordered to appear for trial on five of those charges on January 7, 2013.

Barrie, in turn, is suing Bear Mountain's former accountants Norgaard Neale Camden Ltd, claiming they "negligently and recklessly" reported that Barrie had misused millions of dollars in company funds. The accounting firm delivered the critical report in 2009, and resigned as Bear Mountain's auditors after the board of directors took no action on the matter. The report was then leaked to the media by a disgruntled investor.

In early March, the website ScamFraudReport.org published an odd story featuring signed bank loan documents allegedly from Barrie and "LGB9 International" in Turks and Caicos, British West Indies. The rambling web post misses many key details, but includes dozens of emails apparently forwarded by someone involved with Barrie in the deal.

[mysage]

Here's the latest on Len Barrie's court proceedings with Revenue Canada and others.
- More charges added
- Phil LeSeur also charged
- Barrie sues accounting firm
- ScamFraudReport.org on Barrie

Len Barrie, former CEO of the failed Bear Mountain Resort and other companies, has pleaded "not guilty" to two charges of failing to file taxes. The trial is set to begin January 7, 2013 in Victoria's criminal court.

Meanwhile, four new tax charges were laid in February. Barrie is expected to enter a plea on those charges March 29.

According to Barrie's lawyer, his case may be linked to a similar set of charges against Phil LeSeur, a former vice-president of Bear Mountain. LeSeur is facing 15 counts of violating the tax act. He is ordered to appear for trial on five of those charges on January 7, 2013.

Barrie, in turn, is suing Bear Mountain's former accountants Norgaard Neale Camden Ltd, claiming they "negligently and recklessly" reported that Barrie had misused millions of dollars in company funds. The accounting firm delivered the critical report in 2009, and resigned as Bear Mountain's auditors after the board of directors took no action on the matter. The report was then leaked to the media by a disgruntled investor.

In early March, the website ScamFraudReport.org published an odd story featuring signed bank loan documents allegedly from Barrie and "LGB9 International" in Turks and Caicos, British West Indies. The rambling web post misses many key details, but includes dozens of emails apparently forwarded by someone involved with Barrie in the deal.

Who cares? It seems the only time you post around here it is to bring up Len Barrie. Old news/move on/nothing new to see here folks.

Thanks for sending the ScamFraudReport.org site tho. That is one marginally written site that takes the same loose approach to the facts that they say the fraudsters do. Somewhat ironic isn't it?

[Mike K.]

A lot of people care. Bear Mountain wasn't the biggest loss of the year posted by HSBC in North America for nothing. Many people in the CRD got burned, from major lenders to the little guys, and the community at large deserves to know what happened up on the hill and allegations of corporate crime to be fully vetted before the courts.

[Holden West]

^^What? We can tear Duncan Morrison to pieces here but Len is off limits? Mysage's endless complaining ruined the last thread. Carry on.

[Mike K.]

I'd like to remind everyone that any off-topic discussions or attacks of a personal nature against individuals contributing will be moderated and offending accounts may be suspended or banned.

In other words, if you're someone who is emotionally charged over the Bear Mountain issue, it would be a good idea to refrain from posting here.

[Zoe]

Yesterday Len Barrie pleaded "not guilty" to four more charges of failing to comply with the tax act, the Times Colonist reports.

Barrie is scheduled to appear in court next on May 31. The trial is set for two days starting Feb 13, 2013 (the five-year anniversary of the raid on the treesit camp in 2008.)

[Bob Fugger]

I'd like to remind everyone that any off-topic discussions or attacks of a personal nature against individuals contributing will be moderated and offending accounts may be suspended or banned.

In other words, if you're someone who is emotionally charged over the Bear Mountain issue, it would be a good idea to refrain from posting here.

Or if you find it boring and/or dreadfully uninteresting. I can't believe people still care, either.

[G-Man]

^ True. And while I am no Bear Mountain fan I get tired of one issue posters. How about we participate elsewhere in the community.

[Sparky]

G-Man, and Bob

In fairness, Zoe has posted on a number of topics, not just Len Barrie. You are only a click away from seeing that information.

Len Barrie has left a lot of paper hanging out there and he perhaps could be one of Victoria's greatest failed developers.

She is following this because she is interested. Just like you are on other topics.

I for one, appreciate the updates.

My interest in Vibrant Victoria stemmed from the information provided here about John Asfar.

Same type of paper hanger.

[Sparky]

I am unsure if this was posted before, if so, here it is again.

8D10z2QzF-g

[Bob Fugger]

Sparky, I never made any comment about the apparent feverish zeal of the poster - pretty sure Mike said not to (I even quoted him in my response).

My comment is merely an expression of my fascination that people still devote seemingly significant amounts of effort to unearthing information in this pseudo-"gotcha journalism" format, on what is now essentially a private matter - and one that has faded so far from the public eye that it's just SO boring.

Not judging, though - people can post, discuss and comment (as I have done) on the discourse however they want with their time.

[sdwright.vic]

Len Barrie is a @ss that has questionable accounting practices that seem to have screwed dozens of people. End of story and now its up to the court to decide if he is a criminal or not...

[jklymak]

^ Many of the same folks who are saying "move on" are the same ones who just a couple of years ago were praising him as a brave visionary carving a shining city on a hill out of the rough hewn wilderness. I think its fair to remind the public that he was actually a egocentric con man, and developing a municipality in partnership with that kind of developer is a bad idea.

[spanky123]

I don't think that posting an update of significance every few months is excessive. Like him or not, Len has/had lots of business interests around town and involvement with many people.

[Bob Fugger]

^ Many of the same folks who are saying "move on" are the same ones who just a couple of years ago were praising him as a brave visionary carving a shining city on a hill out of the rough hewn wilderness.

Buddy, how strong do your legs have to be to make a leap of that magnitude?

[sdwright.vic]

^ Many of the same folks who are saying "move on" are the same ones who just a couple of years ago were praising him as a brave visionary carving a shining city on a hill out of the rough hewn wilderness. I think its fair to remind the public that he was actually a egocentric con man, and developing a municipality in partnership with that kind of developer is a bad idea.

For the record I always found a little "smarmy".

[concorde]

I enjoy Zoe's comments and updates on the status of Len Barrie and would like her to continue.

This is what happens when you start a website, blog or what ever you want to call it largely focused on development. Some people care about certain things and others only care about new developments. I enjoy both

[G-Man]

^ Many of the same folks who are saying "move on" are the same ones who just a couple of years ago were praising him as a brave visionary carving a shining city on a hill out of the rough hewn wilderness. I think its fair to remind the public that he was actually a egocentric con man, and developing a municipality in partnership with that kind of developer is a bad idea.

Find one post where I supported anything done by this guy. Still I do say move on. If you look back you will find I was one of the most vocal opponents on here to the plans.

[jklymak]

^ Sorry, I didn't mean everyone who said to move on thought Len Barrie was OK.

[Lorenzo]

Keep it coming. I for one would like to see as many layers of this onion peeled back as possible.