Kevin Larson, a former well-known business owner in Stratford, has been arrested and charged with 31 counts of fraud following a police investigation. The charges stem from a series of fraudulent activities that occurred between March and October 2022. Larson, who owned several businesses in the region, including restaurants, commercial, financial, and development ventures, was taken into custody on Thursday afternoon at the Stratford Police Headquarters.
The investigation into Larson’s activities began in May 2023, after a fraud complaint was filed against him. The charges include 10 counts of fraud exceeding $5,000 and 21 counts of fraud involving smaller amounts, dating back to the period between March 25, 2022, and October 17, 2022. Larson has been released on an undertaking and is scheduled for a court appearance on February 10, 2024.
Larson’s legal troubles have been escalating over the years. In 2022, Ontario’s highest court upheld a ruling from the Superior Court of Justice that required Larson to pay over $530,000 to a local builder, Feltz Design Build. This decision followed Larson’s breach of contract and breach of trust regarding a downtown Stratford pub and butchery project from October 2019.
In April 2023, Larson was charged with a separate fraud count for allegedly accumulating $65,000 in debt by using his ex-partner’s bank accounts and credit cards without her consent over a span of three years.
Larson’s latest charges, which were announced on January 26, 2024, include nine counts of fraud exceeding $5,000, nine counts of using forged documents, and one count of false pretences. These charges stem from an investigation that began in February 2023. Court documents allege that Larson defrauded a complainant of more than $138,000 in 2019 by using their invested funds without permission. Additionally, Larson allegedly attempted to defraud another individual of $1,600 in December 2023.
Aside from these criminal charges, Larson has faced numerous civil suits in multiple Ontario cities, including Stratford, between 2006 and 2024. Larson previously owned Larson Properties Partnership, Cooper Development Inc., and Larson Financial Solutions, which have been part of the ongoing investigations into his financial dealings.
The unfolding case adds to the mounting legal pressure on Larson, whose once-prominent business empire now faces significant scrutiny.
