Man charged with fraud while serving as executor of widow’s estate

We are charging a man who is believed to have pocketed half a million dollars while serving as the executor and trustee to a deceased Calgary woman’s estate.

The suspect first became known to the woman after purchasing her deceased’s husband’s accounting business in 2008. Over the next three years, the suspect and the woman established a close friendship.

In 2011, the woman was diagnosed with a terminal illness and subsequently renewed her will, naming the suspect as the sole executor and trustee of her estate one month before she passed away.

After her passing, it is believed that the suspect acting as the executor of the will, filed the estate at $1.2 million. The estate was later valued at approximately $700,000.

Over the next six years, the suspect allegedly paid himself a total of $500,205 from the estate for his executor and accounting fees. The surviving family of the woman became suspicious and contacted police in 2017 to look into allegations of misappropriation of funds.

After a lengthy investigation, on Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021, Jeff BORSCHOWA, 49, was located in Red Deer, AB, with the assistance of the RCMP. He is charged with one count of theft over $5,000 and one count of fraud over $5,000. He will next appear in court on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021.

“We would like to thank the victim’s family members for their patience as we worked to provide them with much-needed answers,” says Staff Sergeant Geoff Gawlinski of the Calgary Police Service Economic Crimes Unit. “We would also like to thank the RCMP for their assistance in locating the accused so that Mr. BORSCHOWA can be held accountable for his actions, and that we can help bring the family closure.”

The Calgary Police Service reminds citizens to report fraudulent activity to the police by calling the non-emergency number at 403-266-1234 or by calling 911 for a crime in progress. Tips can also be left anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers using any of the following methods:

TALK: 1-800-222-8477

TYPE: www.calgarycrimestoppers.org

APP: "P3 Tips"

CA17213072/4538