A couple from the South Shore of Montreal, who allegedly extorted 50 million from investors for the Lovaganza project, continues their solicitation, six years after pleading guilty to charges brought by the Financial Markets Authority. Several participants, convinced of having been scammed, deplore that the sentence has still not been rendered in this case.
“We know that we will not see our money again, so we are a group who will file a complaint with the police for fraud. They laugh without hiding about the legal process in Zoom conversations with investors,” protests Michel*, who says he has lent more than 2 million for the project since 2013, notably by mortgaging a house whose keys he had to hand over to the bank.
For Lovaganza, also called One-Land, TERRADISIO or JF & G, Mark-Érik Fortin and Karine Lamarre have been seeking loans since 2010 for a so-called film project which never materialized, despite the promises of incredible returns made. to investors.
They would have collected more than 50 million from 900 people, according to new documents consulted by The Presswhich indicate that the solicitation was still continuing last March.
Many discounts
“They are still continuing today, more investors have been added in recent months,” reveals Francis*, who says he has sunk several tens of thousands of dollars into the adventure and is on the verge of personal bankruptcy. “They tell them to take out their RRSPs and TFSAs, take out lines of credit or loans, borrow from friends, introduce them to people who will invest, get credit cards and increase the limits, borrowing against their house, not paying their taxes… People have lost their pension fund and their house. »
Mark-Érik Fortin and Karine Lamarre pleaded guilty in 2018 to a total of 79 charges filed by the Financial Markets Authority (AMF) for violations of Quebec laws governing investment. At the time the charges were filed, the investigation had identified only 2.7 million collected from 140 savers and around ten companies. The AMF is calling for a prison sentence in their case.
PHOTO ANDRÉ PICHETTE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Karine Lamarre and Mark-Érik Fortin, in September 2015
They have not yet received their sentence due to the numerous tactics used to delay the legal process, which investors denounce. They were to receive their sentence on May 3, but once again obtained a postponement from Judge Marc Bisson, of the Court of Quebec, at the Longueuil courthouse.
They’ve had discounts 12 times, it’s incredible! And they brag about it.
Michel*, who says he was cheated
We had access to the recording of a Zoom conversation dating from October 3, in which Karine Lamarre is delighted to have “favors” from the judge, because he shows empathy towards her because of her health problems – she is said to have cancer.
Fines
The money raised is intended for another couple, Jean-François Gagnon and Geneviève Cloutier, who live in California and travel all over the world filming videos and recording songs, under the name JF & G. They constantly claim , for 10 years, being on the verge of signing a contract with a big production house to shoot their films or record songs.
PHOTO FROM THE JF & G RECORDS INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT
Geneviève Cloutier and Jean-François Gagnon, who present themselves as producers, directors and screenwriters, under the name “JF & G”
The Gagnon-Cloutier couple was sentenced last month to fines totaling $600,000, following charges filed by the AMF. However, to file these charges, the AMF investigation was based on evidence collected from only 12 investors, who paid $432,000 in 2014 and 2015.
Read the article “$600,000 fine for Lovaganza instigators”
“This sentence does not mean that our investigation is over,” AMF spokesperson Sylvain Théberge then underlined.
In 2017, 75 complainants filed complaints of fraud with the City of Montreal Police Service against the two couples. The file was then transferred to the Sûreté du Québec, but no criminal charges have been filed until now.
*The investors requested anonymity for fear of reprisals.
What is the Lovaganza Project?
In 2010, two South Shore couples teamed up to produce a series of blockbuster films, intended to finance a humanitarian project and a human chain around the world for peace, events that never came to fruition.
At least 50 million would have been raised from 900 people, who were promised returns representing five or ten times their stake, according to documents consulted by The Press.
Jean-François Gagnon and Geneviève Cloutier, accused by the AMF of having illegally solicited investments, were fined $600,000 in April, while a prison sentence is requested for Mark-Érik Fortin and Karine Lamarre .