Feb 12 1996 - Hamilton Spectator - A former Toronto police officer and his business partner have been sentenced to four and a half years in prison for defrauding more than a dozen people of their homes and life savings.
Most of the victims are from the Burlington, Oakville and Mississauga areas. Michael Jenkinson, 41, and Joan Blackwell, 42, of Bolton, were found guilty of 13 fraud offences in December after an almost three month trial at Guelph's General Division court.
Between 1989 and 1991 eight couples were bilked of $988,500 and a one couple lost a thoroughbred racing stable valued at $1.2 million.
Many of the victims are middleaged or elderly people, whose financial security was destroyed.
Victims testified at the trial that Blackwell and Jenkinson went to great lengths to encourage them to mortgage their homes and put the money into their group of companies called the Andsel Group.
The group's main projects were the development of an office complex in Mississauga, a plan to create an executive retreat and a partnership to develop an elite community combined with a horse breeding centre.
Blackwell and Jenkinson used the money to prop up other failing companies or to finance their extravagant lifestyles. Large credit card balances and leases for a Mercedes and a Jaguar were among the expenses paid with company money invested by victims.