A well-known Stratford, Ontario business owner is facing multiple fraud charges after police said several people came forward with concerns about investments they had made with him.
Stratford police said in a release that they began receiving complaints in February 2023 from individuals who had invested with Kevin Larson. Larson turned himself in at police headquarters earlier this week. He has been charged with five counts of fraud over $5,000, nine counts of uttering forged documents, and one count of false pretenses.
Larson was previously known as the owner of The Hub, a Stratford restaurant that has since closed. He also owned and operated restaurants in Mitchell, Seaforth, Lucan, and Bayfield, and had a range of commercial, financial, and development dealings in and around Stratford.
A History of Legal Disputes
This is not the first legal trouble connected to Larson’s business dealings. In 2019, he was found guilty of breach of contract after failing to pay a local contractor $530,000 for renovation work completed on The Hub in Stratford.
Police have not released further details about the nature of the investigation that led to the current charges or the specific allegations behind them.
Case Status Update
Larson’s next court appearance following his arrest was scheduled for March 4. According to a later editor’s note on the original report, 15 of the fraud-related charges against Larson have since been withdrawn, while 31 additional fraud-related charges have been combined into two remaining outstanding counts.
Stratford police have asked anyone with concerns about their financial dealings with Larson to contact them directly.
Kevin Larson Fraud Case: Key Figures
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