Preliminary hearing booked for man accused of stealing $200,000 from Rotary club

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for a Drayton Valley man accused of defrauding a local not-for-profit organization of more than $200,000.

Mounties began investigating in September 2018 after the organization claimed they had been defrauded of the large amount by their treasurer over a four-year period.

Eric Paul Butz, 35, is charged with fraud over $5,000, forgery and uttering forged documents. His preliminary hearing to determine whether there’s enough evidence for the case to go to trial will take place Sept. 2, 2021 in Drayton Valley provincial court .

At the time of the alleged fraud, police say Butz worked as a Certified Chartered Accountant in Drayton Valley. He was elected to Drayton Valley town council in 2017 but served only for one year before resigning in October 2018.