A Quebec man, Ahmad Ebadi, has been sentenced to jail for his role in defrauding seniors in Saskatoon. Earlier this year, Ebadi pleaded guilty to participating in a fraudulent scheme that targeted vulnerable seniors worried about their loved ones, resulting in significant financial losses before Christmas 2022.
During a court appearance on Wednesday for sentencing, both defense lawyer Logan Marchand and prosecutor Carol Carlson agreed that Ebadi should serve between 18 months and two years in prison. However, they disagreed on the nature of the sentence—Carlson advocated for incarceration, while Marchand suggested community service could suffice. Ultimately, Judge Brad Mitchell imposed a one-year jail sentence and ordered Ebadi to repay $74,979.45 to the victims.
Judge Mitchell emphasized that a jail sentence was necessary to convey society’s condemnation of Ebadi’s actions. Although he described Ebadi as not a “big player” in the scheme, he noted the stress and embarrassment caused to victims who were only trying to help their loved ones.
The prosecution detailed how the fraud operation unfolded, with seniors being deceived into believing their relatives were in urgent trouble and needed immediate financial assistance. The scammers used cellphones, hotel rooms, rental cars, and a secure social media platform to execute their plan.
One couple, Helen and Larry Koturbash, nearly fell victim to the scam when they received a call from someone pretending to be their grandson. Helen recalled her instinctual skepticism, stating, “I really feel that this is a scam.” When the scammers insisted that they could return 99% of their investment, the couple contacted the police instead.
Ebadi’s role in the scheme was to act as a bondsman, collecting money from the unsuspecting seniors. Following his arrest alongside two others when they attempted to collect cash, Ebadi has since managed to save $10,000 toward repaying the victims.