Fraud charges against a former Winnipeg police officer were dropped on Monday after his 23-year-old son pleaded guilty in an auto-selling scam.
Richard Paul Sierhuis, 51, was facing seven charges of fraud over $5,000, forging a trademark/passing off wares, and driving an unregistered vehicle for his alleged role in falsely advertising and fraudulently selling used vehicles. All of the charges against him were stayed when his son, Adam Sierhuis, took responsibility for the crimes in provincial court.
The 23-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of fraud under $5,000. He admitted to fraudulently selling vehicles between March and November 2012 to individuals knowing that the vehicles would never be able to pass a legitimate inspection.
As a result of the son’s guilty plea, the Crown stayed all other charges against him, which had included seven counts of fraud over $5,000, and the charges against his father.
Adam Sierhuis admitted to selling vehicles brought across the border from the United States with falsely clear titles. The cars were advertised as having clean titles despite suffering previous damage.
One of the vehicles, referred to as “Franken-car” in court, was a 2006 Volvo that was fraudulently being passed off as a 2010 model. The vehicle had major electrical damage and a false identification number welded into the car.
Read more at Winnipeg Free Press
