Rental scammer arrested and charged

An update now on a story we first told you about last November, a dozen families thinking their moving into a new rental home, only to learn they’re part of a scam.

19 year old Chanelle Trottier from Grimsby has now been arrested and charged with one count of fraud over $5000 and using a forged document.

Tenants back in November said, “She said the house is ours because we were the first ones – she pretty much chose us right away – she showed me around the house, we agreed that she was going to rent it to me.”

In total, 8 people were conned out of more than 1600 dollars each while trying to rent a bungalow on Hamilton Mountain.

According to Det. Sgt. Greg Doerr, “In fraud we follow the money, in this case the money went into Chanelle Trottier’s account, and that’s how we deciphered who was at fault.”

Doerr explains, “In the world of fraud we have what is called a global count…all the victims together and that’s how it goes to court and is prosecuted that way.”

Marc Mikhael, the owner of the home, said “There was a lot of upset people, camping out on our street waiting for them to show up.”

Mikhael is disappointed that it took this long to lay charges, considering there was such an overwhelming amount of evidence of fraud.

“The scam was clearly documented, times of showing, amounts taken from.”

He is also upset that Trottier’s boyfriend wasn’t charged too. “He was an accomplice, he lived there with her…they started the scam by renting our home sending fake emails with fake proof of employment.”

Police say because all the money went into her account, the boyfriend wasn’t charged.

Chanelle Trottier was released, and will appear in court at a later date.