OTTAWA – An Iroquois man remains in jail following his December 6 arrest.
Ottawa Police Service arrested 73-year old Edouard Bonamie after a yacht fraud investigation that involved the Ontario Provincial Police and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Since his arrest, he has appeared in bail court multiple times, as recently as December 24. Bonamie has not been released and he is scheduled to appear in court again December 31.
Details of the bail proceedings are subject to a Section 517 publication ban under the Criminal Code.
Bonamie faces eight charges including two counts of fraud over $5,000, two counts of uttering forged documents, two counts of laundering Canadian proceeds of crime, and two counts of possession of stolen property.
OPS allege that a couple in the U.S. purchased a yacht from a man in 2017 and after signing the sales contract and paying a deposit, never received the vessel.
Police also allege that in 2020, a Toronto man contacted a yacht broker about buying a vessel advertised online. After a sea trial, signing the sales contract, and paying for the vessel, the buyer never received the boat and it was discovered it was never legally sold to the buyer.
Police also say the value of the losses total over $1 million and that there may be other victims.
OPS said in a release issued following Bonamie’s arrest that he operates the South Dundas Waterfront Development Corporation, and also used the alias of “Nicholas Bomamy.”
Bonamie pleaded guilty in 2006 to charges of fraud in Saskatchewan. At the time of his conviction it was revealed he also used the aliases of Nicholas Bonamy, Nicholas Grimaldi, and Nicholas Ives.
OPS ask anyone who may have information about the yacht incident, or who may have been a victim of fraud by Bonamie to contact Acting Staff Sergeant Steven Desjourdy with the OPS Organized Fraud Unit at 613-236-1222 (extension 5460).
This article was originally written for and published in, The Morrisburg Leader.
