The Alberta Securities Commission (ASC) has charged a Calgary man with six offenses, including fraud, following an investigation announced on Monday. The accused, Douglas John Vermeeren, is alleged to have breached a prior agreement with the ASC.
Details of the Charges
Vermeeren faces one count of fraud, one count of obstruction of justice, and four counts of failing to comply with an undertaking given to the ASC's executive director, all under Alberta's Securities Act. The charges stem from an investigation by the Joint Serious Offences Team, a collaboration between the ASC and a specialized RCMP unit focused on detecting and deterring market fraud.
Background of the 2016 Agreement
In 2016, Vermeeren entered into a settlement with the ASC, agreeing to cease trading in securities and refrain from acting as a director or officer of any issuer for 10 years. At that time, he admitted to making misleading statements to investors and engaging in fraudulent conduct through his company, Monthly Millionaire Mentor Ltd., and paid a $130,000 settlement.
However, the ASC alleges that Vermeeren violated this agreement by trading in securities and serving as a director or officer of two companies. Specifically, while on a cruise in 2022, he is accused of soliciting funds from an individual for a cryptocurrency-related investment in a company called Blockchain Technologies Inc. (BTI). The individual invested, but Vermeeren allegedly did not use the funds as agreed.
Obstruction Allegations
Furthermore, the ASC claims that Vermeeren obstructed justice by attempting to dissuade that individual from cooperating with the ASC's investigation into the matter.
Vermeeren is scheduled to make his first court appearance on August 5 at the Alberta Court of Justice in Calgary.
