Fraudster who orchestrated sports investment scams deserves 7-year sentence, Crown says

The Crown is seeking a seven-year prison term for an Alberta man who used bogus connections in the hockey world to orchestrate a series of fraudulent sports investment schemes that cost his victims more than $1.7 million.

Nickolas Ellis is awaiting sentencing after being found guilty in Edmonton Court of King's Bench on eight counts of fraud over $5,000, three counts of trafficking in forged documents and three counts of identity fraud.

Ellis, 52, engineered a series of elaborate frauds, often using his purported connections to current and retired NHL players, including the late New York Islanders great Mike Bossy.

His crimes, which took place between February 2016 and March 2019, involved eight victims.

Ellis defrauded friends, co-workers and neighbours, using fake emails, fabricated meetings and forged paperwork to lend legitimacy to his projects.

He was found guilty in January. As of Wednesday he had paid no restitution.

In court on Wednesday, Crown prosecutor Thomas O'Leary said Ellis should be fully deprived of the "ill-gotten gains" of his crimes.

"His actions can be described as predatory," O'Leary said. "In terms of the seriousness of the offences, it's very high.''

Justice John Henderson, who described Ellis's crimes as a "house of cards," is expected to hand down a sentence in June.

O'Leary said the crimes were calculated and motivated by "pure greed."

Ellis used the proceeds of his frauds to fund a lavish lifestyle — extensive travel, luxury vehicles and high-priced collectibles, the prosecutor said.

"He lived very comfortably, and did so off the backs of his victims." 

The Crown is seeking a "fines in lieu of forfeiture" order, used in cases when property or money obtained through a fraud can't be found or