A former Vancouver Canucks prospect has been charged in reference to what police are calling a large-scale monetary fraud.
Surrey RCMP say its monetary crimes unit launched an investigation into Prab Rai, 34, in 2021 after a sufferer got here ahead claiming to have misplaced a number of million {dollars} in actual property funding alternatives.
Rai, who’s from Surrey, B.C., was arrested on Tuesday and charged with fraud over $5,000, mentioned RCMP. He was launched by the courts on situations, pending his subsequent courtroom look.
A civil swimsuit was filed in opposition to Rai and members of his household by businessman Harpreet Singh Khela in December 2020. It accuses the previous hockey star of defrauding Khela of near $3 million.
Khela claims within the lawsuit that Rai concerned him in quite a lot of enterprise offers that each one turned out to be “fictitious,” together with an funding deal in a Tim Hortons franchise.
Within the largest of the alleged schemes, Khela mentioned he superior $2.4 million to Rai as a deposit on a pretend deal to purchase the Sutton Place Resort in Vancouver.
Khela additionally claims Rai made up a “fantastical story” about dropping all his cash after being kidnapped, crushed and robbed of his arduous drive, which contained his checking account data.
In his response to the lawsuit, Rai claims Khela tried to ingratiate and contain himself with Rai’s reputable enterprise pursuits after which began making “a [series] of sweeping, unfounded allegations” in opposition to Rai in an effort to stave off collectors.
Not one of the allegations have been examined in courtroom.
Rai was chosen 131st total by the Canucks within the 2008 NHL draft.
Rai had 69 factors in 67 video games with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds Within the 2009-10 season. He went on to play 38 video games within the East Coast Hockey League.