Whopping 352 charges laid against 3 people in Calgary fraud investigation

Three people are facing more than 350 charges related to frauds involving rentals and stolen identification throughout southern Alberta. (Calgary Police Service handout)

Three people are facing hundreds of charges after a complex fraud investigation by Calgary police.

Officers launched the investigation back in 2022 after uncovering a lab for making forged documents, complete with embossers, scanners, electronics and ledgers.

The investigation led police to several storage lockers where they found boxes of tax documents, mail and IDs, none of which belonged to the people renting the lockers.

Police laid 49 charges against a woman, but say she didn't show up for her court dates.

In December 2023, police posted to social media in an attempt to locate the accused.

Tips from the public led officers to believe the woman was continuing to commit fraud.

"Investigators believe much of the stolen identity documents, including Social Insurance Numbers (SINs), Alberta health care numbers and tax documents, were taken from storage locker break-and-enters," police said in a Monday news release.

"The personal information, affecting as many as 50 victims, was then allegedly used to apply for fraudulent credit cards, which were used for online purchases."

The fake identities were allegedly used for rental applications, both on residences and storage lockers, which were paid for using fake credit cards and stolen cheques.

The investigation culminated with the search of a home in the 600 block of Panora Way N.W. on Jan. 11.

Inside, police found equipment "indicative of an operational fraudulent identification and credit card lab," including credit card scanners, an embosser, computers, printers and IDs that are believed to be stolen.

Police say the home had been rented by falsifying the application.

Three people inside were taken into custody.

Bridget Ann Aamot, 37, is facing 165 charges and is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 8.

Duane Douglas Phillips, 48, is charged with 74 fraud-related offences and also set to appear in court on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024.

Mandy Betty Adeline Bredlaw, 38, is facing 113 charges and is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 27.