Class-action lawsuit launched against Calgary company

Agroup of investors from across the country hope to pursue a multimillion-dollar class-action lawsuit.

They put $160 million into Platinum Equities Inc., a Calgary-based company that promised a safe investment.

Many of them say they've now lost their entire life savings.

At 74, Simon Okkerse says he has had to go back to work after losing money in what he thought was a safe investment.

"$200,000 that was my retirement fund that I collected through the years," said Okkerse.

'Too good to be true'

Okkerse put his money into Platinum Equities Inc., whichhe says promised safe and secure investments in office buildings.

"We were getting only five or six per cent return on investment on these buildingsthat is not astronomical 'too good to be true' type of investments," said Okkerse.

Other investors put millions of dollars into about a dozen office buildings in Calgary.

In return they thought they were getting an ownership stake, but some buildings fell into foreclosure, others were sold and investors say they've been left with nothing.

"Then all of a sudden we heard there was no money left in the kitty to pay us and we never got any of that money," said Okkerse.

Economy affected

Company officials with Platinum Equities Inc.were contacted for this story but calls were not returned.

Calgary-based lawyer Kevin McGuigans firm is advancing the lawsuit.

"This is something hurting the economy, hurting integrity of the investment system. People thought by investing in property it was going to be safer and less risky than investment in the stock. That's how it was marketed [and]turned out not to be the case," said McGuigan.

Platinum Equities investor Jeffrey Exconde said the loss has wiped him out. Hes joining the lawsuit.

"I feel stress, right? It's hard-earned money, right? I didn't get this money from stealing from others, doing some bad stuff, I work hard for it," said Exconde.

Investorsgathered for a meetingMonday at 7 p.m. MT at Southside Victory Church in Calgary to talk about the class-action lawsuit.