THUNDER BAY – A 41-year-old Thunder Bay man with a lengthy history of fraud convictions is facing a number of additional fraud-related charges.
Thunder Bay Police say they have completed an investigation into 11 complaints received since 2016 from individuals who said they hired a handyman and prepaid him for home renovations or items that were never delivered.
Police say more than $55,000 was paid to Richard William Nestor Belbas by the complainants.
Belbas, who in 2015 was sentenced to five months in jail related to a pair of fraud cases, faces eight counts of fraud over $5,000, three counts of fraud under $5,000 and nine counts of breach of probation.
The father-of-three, whose list of convictions for fraud dates to 2001, was released from custody and will appear in court on Feb. 13.
Police caution the public about entering into transactions with individuals without seeing the product they are buying or having the work completed before making payment.
Belbas last fall pleaded guilty to defrauding another dozen people and faced sentencing last week.
