It took the Crown most of an afternoon just to read into the court record the charges Raymond Trudel is facing.
There are dozens of them in total, all alleging to have taken place this past summer: allegations of making fake rental agreements, receipts for rent and damage deposits; defrauding people of hundreds of dollars each; breaches of court orders.
Trudel sat in the dock next to sheriff's officers as the details were presented during his bail hearing earlier this week, glancing every now and then at his wife, who was sitting in the courtroom.
On Friday morning, Trudel, 35, was released from custody on a surety, with a return date and a number of conditions — including that he be of good behaviour and notify police of any change in address — by which he must abide in the meantime.
Details presented at the bail hearing are subject to a publication ban for the time being
As The Telegram reported earlier this week, sources allege Trudel ran an apartment rental scam in St. John’s, posing as the landlord of at least two apartments he did not own or have the right to rent. He allegedly collected money from potential tenants for damage deposits or to hold the apartment until they could move in, later avoiding contact with them or informing them the place was no longer available.
Many of the victims were reportedly post-secondary students, according to the sources.
Trudel is also scheduled to be back in the courtroom later this month on a separate charge of fraud, for which he was charged at the beginning of the year. He pleaded not guilty and went to trial; he'll learn his verdict Nov. 20.
Related story:
St. John's man charged with defrauding 18 people through apartment rental scam
