CALGARY — A car dealer says he defrauded customers out of thousands of dollars because he, too, was a victim and thought he could earn back his losses.
Steven Anthony Humber, owner of Express Auto Sales Calgary, was sentenced Monday to two years in jail after pleading guilty to committing 26 fraudulent sales and refinancing transactions between 2019 and 2020.
In a written decision, Justice Peter Barley dismissed the accused's argument that he was trying to keep his business afloat because he was defrauded by someone else.
"I do not think that the fact that the financial difficulties of the present accused were caused by another person’s criminal act is relevant," Barley said.
"In the present case, this led to significant damage to the customers, both financial and psychological."
The decision said many of the 26 people who bought vehicles from Humber's south Calgary dealership did not have existing liens paid out on trade-ins. Some also didn't get vehicles they paid for.
The losses or impact totalled over $680,000, the judge said.
He added that the victims were affected in many different ways.
"One was not able to obtain a mortgage because of an existing lien that the accused was to pay," Barley said.
"One lost his job because his car was repossessed, because of the nonpayment of a lien that should have been paid off by the accused. Another victim is considering declaring bankruptcy."
Humber told court he was also a fraud victim and needed o keep his business afloat.
He said he thought that he could eventually earn enough to cover his own losses and honour promises to the customers that he was defrauding. He also said the scheme may have worked until COVID-19 affected his business.
The judge said there's no excuse.
"In each case, the choice was between saving the business and its employees, or protecting the interests of the customers," he said. "The accused made the wrong choice."
As part of his sentence, Humber also has to repay his victims within three years.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 26, 2025.
— By David Boles in Edmonton
The Canadian Press
