The CEO of a Manitoba pool company has been charged with fraud after customers paid for products they never received, RCMP said.
Kurt Wittin, 55, was arrested and charged by the RCMP cyber and financial crime unit on Nov. 5 after an initial investigation by Headingley RCMP.
Police said Wittin has been under investigation since last year in connection with numerous fraud complaints involving his company, Seventeen Pools.
SEVENTEEN POOLS
An image of a pool on the website of Seventeen Pools. The company’s CEO has been charged with fraud.
“In each instance, customers sent payment for products that were never received,” RCMP said in a news release Friday.
The victims are from across Canada and the United States.
Wittin has been charged with nine counts of fraud greater than $5,000 and was released from custody with conditions, police said.
RCMP said there might be other victims that have not yet spoken with police. They asked anyone with information regarding Wittin or his companies — Seventeen Pools Inc., Seventeen Pools, 204 Container Pools and Kustom Container Builders — to contact RCMP.
The RCMP unit continues to investigate.
Seventeen Pools, located in Oak Bluff just outside Winnipeg, started building container pools in 2012, its website states.
“Seventeen Pools is dedicated to building efficient, durable and environmentally friendly swimming pools. Our passion is helping our customers to see their backyards’ potential and building the perfect getaway,” the website states.
“The products that Seventeen Pools produces are first and foremost designed with customer protection in mind.”
The pools come in three lengths, as well as custom lengths. The cheapest listed price for a new pool is $39,900, while the most expensive is $77,000.
“Seventeen Pools connects with you, the customer, one-on-one to make your vision a reality. The company’s design team lays down the foundation and specifications, and the construction team works side by side with the customer throughout the entire process,” the company’s website states.
“Each one of our customers will receive a first rendering of the pool design to ensure that this is the design that they wish to proceed with.”
The company’s website says it has been mentioned in reporting by HGTV, CBS News, The Associated Press and Business Insider but does not link to any pieces by those news organizations.
The website said shipping container pools are cheaper than in-ground pools and can be moved.
“This means that it is no longer a high-risk investment to make, and it isn’t something you’ll need to leave behind while moving,” it states.
fpcity@freepress.mb.ca