Big fraud cases in Alberta have skyrocketed, with RCMP statistics showing a near 100% increase over five years. Fraud involving amounts greater than $5,000 rose from 744 cases in 2022 to 1,471 in 2026, while all other crime rates remained flat or declined during the same period of rapid provincial growth.
RCMP Cites Extortion as Emerging Trend
“Big fraud is up. They’re going for the big fish,” said Fraser Logan, senior spokesman for the Alberta RCMP. “All police jurisdictions are dealing with this right now.” Logan noted that recent extortion cases are likely contributing to the surge, with many targeting members of the South Asian community through threats, arson, and gun violence.
Under $5,000 fraud also increased by 29% over five years, from 4,677 reports in 2022 to roughly 6,058 in both 2025 and 2026, based on January-to-May figures. “I imagine a lot of that is probably extortion,” Logan added.
Major Cases Highlight the Problem
In October, Marc St. Pierre was sentenced to seven years in prison by a Red Deer court after embezzling nearly $5 million from 16 victims while serving as a senior financial advisor. The RCMP’s Provincial Financial Crime Team led the investigation.
In May, the same team arrested and charged four individuals for fraud and money laundering between 2023 and 2025. The accused allegedly used forged documents to open accounts at banks in Strathmore, Camrose, Athabasca, Edson, Hinton, Olds, Cold Lake, Brooks, Lloydminster, and Fort Saskatchewan, depositing forged cheques and withdrawing cash.
Last week, Calgary police charged 16 South Asian non-citizens with extortion and other crimes. “These criminal activities have understandably led to concern from families and business owners, prompting coordinated investigations by local and national law enforcement,” the Calgary Police Service stated.
Dozens of Fraud Subcategories
RCMP data includes dozens of fraud subcategories, with one report of fraud by witchcraft and sorcery in 2022 and none since. The overall trend, however, is clear: large-scale financial crimes are on the rise in Alberta.
