Harold Backer, 54, pleaded not guilty to two fraud charges on Sept. 27.
A trial date has been set for the former Olympic rower and investment dealer accused of committing fraud before disappearing for nearly 18 months.
According to court documents, Harold Backer’s will face a five-day, judge-alone trial that will begin on Sept 10, 2018.
Backer pleaded not guilty to two counts of fraud over $5,000 in September. He was charged after he turned up at Victoria Police Department Headquarters in April.
He disappeared after he told his family he was going for a bike ride on Nov. 3, 2015. It is still unclear where Backer went from November 2015 to April 2017.
He also has an upcoming professional discipline hearing with the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (MFDA). The first appearance is scheduled for Oct. 19 There are three allegations that will be addressed in the disciplinary proceedings in Vancouver.
The first allegation is between May 15, 2002, and November 17, 2015, Backer allegedly failed to repay or otherwise account for approximately $1,230,712 that he solicited from at least six clients and two individuals to invest in a fictitious mutual fund.
Also between May 15, 2002, and November 17, 2015, Backer is alleged to have fraudulently induced at least 10 clients and five individuals to invest in non-existent mutual funds.
And commencing June 28, 2017, Backer allegedly failed to cooperate with an investigation into his conduct by staff of the MFDA.
Backer was on the Canadian rowing team in the 1984, 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games.
Alexa Huffman
