A 61-year-old woman who was convicted of scamming dozens of investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars has been jailed for four years.
Marie LaFramboise scammed financiers out of deposits for an Alberta mountainside retirement resort that included a condo, hotel, spa and golf course that were never built.
Around two dozen victims are still owed around $1.3 million.
Peter and Sue Schubert gave almost $400,000 to LaFramboise, who they considered a friend.
They feel the four year sentence is not enough.
"It might not be everything we think it should be, but it is a measure of justice," Sue Schubert told CTV News outside court.
“For four years she can't hurt anybody else."
The court was told that land for the resort was never purchased from the provincial government.
Court of Queen's Bench Justice Adam Germain said that, even with an imposed restitution order, it's unlikely any of those scammed will get their money back.
In one victim impact statement, a woman said LaFramboise preyed on her terminally ill husband who was just trying to leave a legacy for their children.
Another victim said he lost so much money that he was forced to withdraw funds from his child's bank account to pay for groceries and gas.
Some 24 people bought into the scam between 2006 and 2010, with a glossy brochure created for Eagle Ridge resort.
After years of waiting some of the two dozen victims came to the courthouse to watch as LaFramboise was jailed.
“She didn’t show any emotion at all,” Peter Schubert told CTV.
“If she could give the money back she wouldn’t, I don’t believe that there is any remorse,” Sue Schubert added.
