Smooth-talking fraud artist from Thunder Bay jailed for outrageous scams

Richard Belbas of Thunder bay three basic scams – home renovation work that was never completed, the delivery and installation of saunas and the sale of sea cans (shipping containers) that never materialized. (File)

A Thunder Bay man who preyed on vulnerable victims – including his neighbour – in a series of frauds has been sentenced to pay almost $82,000 in restitution and $66,00 in fines, along with three years in prison.

Richard Belbas, 49, had three basic scams – home renovation work that was never completed, the delivery and installation of saunas and the sale of sea cans (shipping containers) that never materialized.

According to the decision by the Ontario Court of Justice, he had one of his victims drive all the way to Duluth, Minn., where he was supposed to meet him to get the sea can – but Belbas never showed.

In another case, he took money to install an addition to a porch so a terminally ill man could enjoy sitting outside during his last summer, but failed to deliver.

Took time off work

He also agreed to install a sauna in a camp for a man who wanted to surprise his wife for their anniversary.

The victim had family and friends gather at the camp to await the arrival of the sauna – but Belbas never showed. Other victims took time off from work to meet him and take delivery of what they purchased, only to be left waiting.

In a trial held late last year, Belbas was found guilty of five counts of fraud over $5,000, 12 counts of fraud under $5,000, and one count of breaching a probation order.

The court heard that he worked in road construction for 12 years until he was in a serious vehicle collision when he was 34. He has a long history of criminal convictions for fraud starting in 2001 and followed by convictions in 2004, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2022.

Six victim impact statements were filed, describing the humiliation and financial distress caused by the frauds. In some cases, victims lost their entire life savings.

In one case, a victim paid $13,600 in cash for 12 sea cans, and arranged to drive to Atikokan with two flatbed trucks to meet Belbas and pick them up.

“But when (he) arrived in Atikokan, and went to the location on Hydro Road to which he was instructed to attend by Mr. Belbas, there were no sea cans,” the court decision said.

Created an alias

In another case, he took more than $14,000 from a woman who was renovating a residence for her nephew, who was incarcerated. She paid him up front for materials and work that were never completed.

Belbas created an alias – ‘Dennis’ – and had the woman drive to Duluth “to pick up construction materials which did not exist,” the decision said.

“This demonstrates the depth of Mr. Belbas’ deception, and the effort he went to in order to convince (the victim) to part with her money.”

In perhaps the most egregious case, he took $1,500 from a woman whose husband had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and only had months to live.

She “wanted an overhang to be constructed which would provide shade over the back yard deck,” the court said.

“So she connected with Mr. Belbas and provided him with a deposit of $1,500 for a job which was promised to be completed by the end of May 2017.”

By late fall, no work had been done and the terminally ill man “would never get to enjoy a pergola.”

He also embarrassed a victim over the delivery of a sauna as an anniversary present.

Anniversary present never arrived

“On the date of his wedding anniversary, friends and family were gathered at the camp property in anticipation of the delivery of the sauna,” the court decision said.

“Mr. Belbas never showed up, and never called (the victim) in advance to advise that delivery would be delayed. Then over the next few months, despite Mr. Belbas assuring delivery was imminent, and (the victim) travelling out to the camp property and waiting for Mr. Belbas to show up, the sauna was never delivered.”

In that incident, however, the victim arrived at Belbas’s parents and refused to leave until he showed up and refunded the $3,000 for the sauna.

Belbas was sentenced to between three and 12 months for each offence, with the judge ruling that the sentences would total 34 months, plus an additional two months for breach of probation.