Alberta man linked to multi-million dollar hay 'scam' in U.S. faces trial in province for similar allegations
CBC
An Alberta man who officials say is connected to multi-million dollar hay fraud "scams" in the United States has had a trial set in Canada for similar allegations.
Lawyers for the Crown and Scott James Piggott appeared in court Monday to set a trial date in Lethbridge on the man's Alberta charges, which include fraud over $5,000 and theft over $5,000.
Piggott also faces charges related to failure to comply with release conditions — an Alberta RCMP spokesperson said that breach is related to purchasing hay or other crops.
Piggott will go to trial May 1, 2023, in Lethbridge on two charges of theft over $5,000 and one count of fraud over $5,000.
A court check for Piggott shows he also faces similar charges out of Drumheller and Taber.
Trial dates for those cases have not yet been set.
A lawyer from the Crown's specialized prosecution unit has been appearing in court on Piggott's current charges. That branch of the Crown's office ordinarily handles files that involve charges alleging frauds and thefts over $500,000.
The Crown declined to supply a statement to CBC News.
Piggott's lawyer, Pat Fagan, did not respond to a request for comment.
Meanwhile in the U.S., Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen issued a release warning the state's ranchers of "cattle feed scams" that might be targeting them, including one company called New Way Ag. Knudsen alleges that the company "stole" as much as $5 million US from Montana ranchers when it didn't deliver feed it took payment for.
In an email to CBC News, Kyler Nerison, communications director for the Montana Department of Justice, said investigators believe Piggott is linked to New Way Ag, though the details still remain unclear.
CBC News filed a corporate registration and trade name search for New Way Ag. The documents provided say the company was operated out of Okotoks and is registered under a woman's name. That person, says a source close to the investigation, is a family member of Piggott.
CBC reached out to the email address connected to the business registration, but did not receive a response.
Nerison said the company was brought to their attention through tips from across the state. He said the company is still under investigation and they will be watching the outcome of what happens in Lethbridge.
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