In court: Both accused in Bowness non-profit’s bilking lack lawyers; case delays continue

Another day, another delay in court proceedings for two men accused of embezzling from a Calgary non-profit. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)

Another day, another delay in court proceedings for two men accused of embezzling from a Calgary non-profit.

Nathan Michael Mizera, 42, and Joshua Tyler Bredo, 41, are accused of bilking the Bowness Ratepayers Scout and Guide Hall Association out of more than $66,000.

They, along with another individual, were arrested in summer 2025 and charged with fraud over $5,000.

Proceedings against the other individual have since been stayed.

Meanwhile, trial dates for Mizera and Bredo still have not been set, and further complications were brought to light in court Friday.

Mizera’s lawyer, through an agent, said he’s “unable to reach” his client.

Emails are bouncing, and calls and texts are going unanswered, the agent said.

A request was made—and granted—for counsel removal, leaving Mizera lawyerless.

Bredo, meanwhile, has yet to hire a lawyer.

There has been back and forth over case disclosure—a lack of it, then a lack of time to review it—for months.

On Friday, the contents of it were a new hitch.

It appears the Crown mistakenly included privileged correspondence, and when Bredo informed prosecutors, they asked for the whole package back.

He refused to return the only copy to which he’s had access.

A request was made—and granted—for more time to sort that out, putting the matter over to March 5.

Friday in court, the Crown also mentioned another prosecutor being assigned to the case “with the hopes of having an earlier trial date set.”

Several days are earmarked for a trial in January 2027.

The Crown has said it “is anxious” to move forward, as the case is running “right up against the Jordan ceiling.”

The Jordan Rule, in Canadian law, guarantees a trial within a reasonable time.

The allegations

According to police, Bowness Ratepayers Scout and Guide Hall Association directors were approached by two men in 2022 about rebranding and handing off day-to-day operations.

The hall became BowCommon, with events hosted under Discover Bowness.

Police said they were contacted in April 2024, after “a significant amount of missing funds” was discovered.

Police said investigation placed the missing amount at more than $66,000.

It’s believed this was done “by hosting events using organization funds without paying attributed fees, falsifying documents to obtain financial control and creating false receipts for services never rendered, which were then sent to fabricated email addresses and deposited into their personal bank accounts.”

Mizera and Bredo have issued joint statements in which they deny wrongdoing and accuse a pair of police officers of targeting them and of corruption.