Bible Hill shed builder, wife face 13 counts of fraud

A Bible Hill, N.S., man and woman are facing 13 counts of fraud forallegedly taking deposits for sheds they did not build.

The charges against 52-year-old Mike Upton and his wife, 51-year-old Lisa Dale Muise, follow a CBC investigation last year. The two made their first court appearance on Wednesday.

Customers who contacted CBC said they would give Upton deposits for his work, but in return received only excuses. Back in 2016, RCMP said they'd investigated complaints against Upton but there wasn't enough evidence to support charges.

15 people out $57,000

But CBC was able to find seven judgments against Upton in small claims court and subsequently heard from eight other people who also said they'd lost money as a result of unbuilt sheds.

The 15 people who talked to CBC lost $57,000 in total. At that point, the Mounties reopened their investigation.

Upton told CBC in 2016 he did repay some of the money, but was also owed money by other businesses and fell behind on orders. He said at the time it was his intention to repay everyone.

Upton and Muise will next be in court in January.