Decision delayed in multimillion-dollar Calgary fraud and theft case

It's been 10 years since a now-disgraced Calgary lawyer and a mortgage broker started working together selling homes, offering mortgages anddeveloping vacation projects in Mexico.

Their partnershipunravelledin 2015 when the lawyer, Floyd Campbell, admitted to the Law Society of Alberta: "[Broker] BrandonAntoniniand I exhausted our ability to fund the projects throughlegitimate means."

• 2 men charged in multi-million dollar mortgage fraud

"We resorted to various means to obtain funds," he told the law society's resignation committeein statements recorded in itsreport.

Those means allegedly included fraud and theft of at least $5 millionfrom about a half-dozen investors.

On Wednesday, one of the two accused was expected to find out whether a Calgary judge has found him guilty on dozens of criminal charges. However, the judge told the court he needs more time to go through all of the material before reaching a decision.

The matter has now been adjourned to July 14th. The judge said he will likely need half a day to deliver the decision.

At least 20 investigations led to $3.5Mpayout

Campbell's actions sparked at least 20 investigations by the Alberta Lawyers Insurance Association, which paid out six claimstotalling$3,527,854.67.

He was disbarred in April2015.

Two months later, Calgary police charged Campbell andAntoniniwith29 counts each of theft and fraud. Campbell faced an additional charge of theft involving investor Stuart Hay.

"It's been quite stressful," said Hay.

Hay met the pair in 2008. They became good acquaintances and Hay says he trusted them. Hayused his own money to fund several bridge financing deals and received a decent return for a few years.

In 2012, however, he says everything came to an "abrupt and fast" end.

Hay says he recovered $365,000 from the lawyer's insurance association in a deal that involved Campbell, but he's still waiting on a claim for over $600,000.

Campbell pleaded guilty to 1 criminal charge

Campbell andAntoninicontrolled two numbered companies through which they operated their businesses.

Antonini who voluntarily withdrew his license as a broker with the Real Estate Council of Alberta pleaded not guilty.

Hay who testified atAntonini'strial earlier this year is hoping for a guilty decision forAntoniniand he'd also like to see jail time for the 45-year-old.

"He needs to go to jail for a long time," said Hay.

"I think he should go to jail for fourto sixyears. I hope he does get that."

Of the 30 charges Campbell was originally facing, he admitted to one count of theft involving SWA Holdings Incorporated totalling $225,000, according to the Crown prosecutor's office.

It's believed the other 29 charges will be stayed or withdrawn on July 26, when Campbell is scheduled for sentencing.

$1.7M from sale of home misappropriated, according to law society report

One of the charges laid by Calgary police involved the alleged misappropriation of funds from the sale of a $2 million home in northwest Calgary in 2012.

Campbell told the law society's resignation committee, according to its report, that he deposited the funds from the sale of the home into his trust account.

But instead of transferring the money to the sellers, he used more than $1.7 millionto help pay for his various businesses and ventures, including developments inHuatulco, Mexico, the report said.

Campbell acted as the lawyer for the vendors, while his wife, Susan Auch,was the realtor in the sale.

Auch, a former Olympic speedskater, was a shareholder in one of thecompanies controlled by Campbell andAntonini.

However Auch did not have signing authority for the company's bank account and has not been charged in any of the matters involving her husband.

BryanLabbyis an investigative reporter with CBC Calgary. If you have a good story idea or tip, you can reach him atbryan.labby@cbc.caor on Twitter at@CBCBryan.

MORE NEWS FROM BRYAN LABBY:

• Changes to Canada's drunk driving laws will give police sweeping powers, warn legal experts
• 'It was supposed to be safe': Family questions man's suicide in psych ward as inquiry begins
• Why Calgary developers face a long haul to dig out stalled office projects
• Sour grapes and bitter ownership battle behind closure of popular Calgary bistro Wine-Ohs