Craig O’Brien, 51, had been facing four charges related to his former company, Certified Windows and Doors. According to court records and his former lawyer, the charges against O’Brien were withdrawn on Oct. 2 following his death. His lawyer declined to disclose the cause of death when contacted by CTV News on Wednesday. O’Brien, who was 44 at the time, was charged in 2019 with two counts of fraud over $5,000 and one count of uttering a forged document. Court records from 2026 also indicate he faced a charge of criminal breach of trust. As first reported by CTV Windsor in November 2018, several residents alleged they paid deposits or made payments for work that was never completed and, in some cases, never started. At the time, investigators with the Windsor Police Service’s Financial Crimes Branch said they had received more than 70 complaints related to the business. The Better Business Bureau of Western Ontario also issued an alert about Certified Windows and Doors after receiving about 30 complaints in late 2018 concerning the company’s business practices. In an email to CTV Windsor in 2018, O’Brien attributed the issues to cancelled provincial incentive programs and clerical errors. O’Brien’s lawyer referred questions about the impact on complainants involved in the court process to the Crown attorney’s office. The crown attorney’s office confirmed the charges were withdrawn as a result of O’Brien’s death. “A criminal prosecution cannot continue against a person who is deceased,” the statement reads. “As there has been no finding of guilt, the criminal court cannot make orders that are dependent on a conviction, such as restitution orders.” The crown’s office does not deal with civil matters and directs any potential victims to “seek independent legal advice.” “Questions concerning potential claims involving a deceased person’s estate or obligations to lenders are matters of private law, and the Crown is unable to provide legal advice on those issues,” the statement reads.
