Victoria police investigating after fake drink tokens used at fundraiser

Organizers of a fundraiser in B.C.'s capital region say someone 3-D printed hundreds of fake drink tokens and redeemed them at the beer garden.

Police in B.C.’s capital region are investigating after someone allegedly 3D printed counterfeit tokens that were redeemed at the beer garden of an annual festival, costing the charity the event was fundraising for an estimated $2,000 in lost donations.

This year’s Esquimalt RibFest ran from Sept. 5 to 7 and saw a record 50,000 attendees, according to organizers. But the event was marred when a volunteer discovered the fake tokens, which has prompted an investigation by the Victoria Police Department.

“This is a disappointing incident, particularly given the important role Ribfest plays in our community,” said spokesperson Insp. Conor King. “The use of 3D printing to create counterfeit currency, even in a localized event like this, is concerning.”

This year, the event was raising money to help pay for an all-weather turf field at the local high school, and the tokens sold for $8 a piece.

“Stealing from a children’s charity would probably be right down there, as low as you can go,” event organizer Tom Woods told CTV News.

On Monday, the Victoria Police Department released a side-by-side photo, showing the fake tokens and the real ones, renewing an appeal for information in the case.

“Police are asking anyone who encountered suspicious activity during the event, or who has information regarding the counterfeit tokens, to come forward,” the statement from police said.

“Investigators are particularly interested in anyone who observed individuals attempting to exchange an unusually large number of tokens, or who noticed anything out of the ordinary.”

Since RibFest’s organizers shared news about the alleged fraud, offering a $500 reward in the case, Woods said individual and corporate donors have come forward to offer to help cover the losses.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Victoria Police Department at 250-995-7654 and quote file number 25-35469.

The organizers of RibFest are also offering a $500 reward for information that helps identify the suspect or suspects and are asking people to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 to provide anonymous tips. Organizers also told CTV News they aren’t planning on using tokens again next year.

With files from CTV News Vancouver Island’s Brendan Strain