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By Sheldon Spackman

Feb. 20-Mar. 15, 2024

New jury trial scheduled for Sylvan Lake man accused in $2.6M fraud case

Feb 3, 2023 | 3:27 PM

A new jury trial has been scheduled for a Sylvan Lake man accused of defrauding over $2.6 million from investors who thought they were buying into a “revolutionary fracking product.”

Dane Michael Skinner, 58, is scheduled to have a jury trial in Red Deer Court of King’s Bench from Feb. 20-Mar. 15, 2024. According to the Alberta Crown Prosecutions Service, the adjournment for a new trial was made at the request of Skinner and granted by a judge. Skinner was previously scheduled for trial in Red Deer Court of King’s Bench from Jan. 30-Feb. 10, 2023.

He was previously scheduled for trial before that, from Sept. 8-Oct. 1, 2021.

This additional delay means a possible trial for Skinner would take place far beyond his ‘Jordan date’ of Jan. 24, 2021. The Alberta Crown Prosecutions Service further points out, however, that Skinner’s Jordan Date has been waived in this case.

A 2016 decision from the Supreme Court of Canada – often called the ‘Jordan decision’ – stipulates that a trial must begin within 30 months of charges being laid in Court of Queen’s Bench cases.

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Skinner was arrested July 25, 2018 and faces counts of fraud over $5,000 and laundering proceeds of crime. He was arrested after an investigation by Blackfalds RCMP and Red Deer Financial Crimes Unit that began in 2013.

According to police, the alleged offences took place between Dec. 5, 2007 and Feb. 28, 2013 in Lacombe and are said to involve two numbered companies (1518869 Alberta Ltd. and 1367158 Alberta Ltd.), as well as N.E.X.T. Legacy Technologies Ltd.

Mounties allege Skinner misrepresented and advertised a “revolutionary fracking product” which resulted in lucrative financial gains.

As a result, numerous victims were enticed to invest in the company, with losses to those investors reported to be over $2.6 million.

Court learned in September 2021 that Skinner has now lost his hearing and was undergoing chemotherapy treatments. He did not have legal representation at that time.

Related: Trial delayed again for Sylvan Lake man accused in $2.6M fraud case

Related: Trial delayed for Sylvan Lake man accused in $2.6M fraud case