A Kingston man has been arrested following an investigation into a series of fraudulent schemes that defrauded multiple individuals of a total of $150,000. The investigation, which began in July 2024, revealed that Lionel Bernier, 74, used fabricated stories to convince victims to lend him money. These stories included claims of supporting a woman fleeing domestic violence and pursuing a lawsuit to claim life insurance benefits for his deceased veteran son.
In two cases, victims became so financially strained that they were evicted from their apartments after being unable to pay rent. In all instances, the victims were led to believe Bernier had died after the fraudulent transactions.
On December 17, 2024, Kingston Police executed a search warrant at Bernier’s residence and arrested him. He now faces five charges of fraud exceeding $5,000. Bernier was held at the Kingston Police headquarters and remanded in custody for a court appearance at a later date.
(By: Tim Baltz)