EXCLUSIVE: Bad investment motive for Lethbridge man faking own disappearance
Posted Mar 12, 2013 8:53 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
660News has learned exclusive details about the Lethbridge man who faked his own kidnapping earlier this year and has now been charged by police.
On January 31, Matthew Robillard disappeared on his way to work in Picture Butte.
His vehicle was found abandoned in Calgary later the same day; a few days after that, he showed up at a northeast city hotel looking like he was assaulted.
He was found on February 2nd at a northeast Calgary hotel.
Investigators determined the young father of one had planned his disappearance and made it look like he was abducted and beat up.
Police say the plan was devised because of a huge financial loss he had suffered and the abduction was made to look like Robillard was extorted in order to pay for the loss.
“This was a ruse that spanned multiple jurisdictions and diverted valuable police resources away from real victims and actual crimes,” said Acting Insp. Ian Sanderson, Criminal Investigation Division. “It’s a concern to us that someone would take these steps and cause police to continue an investigation when no crime had occurred.”
The 25-year-old is charged with one count of public mischief and is scheduled to appear in court April 8th.
Sources tell 660News Robillard’s motive for the staged abduction began when he was given $2 million from his father-in-law, but lost it in a bad investment.
He apparently planned the abduction so ransom money could make up for the loss.
After abandoning his car and checking into a Calgary hotel, he apparently burned his wrists and ankles and injured his face to make it look like he was tied and beaten up.
Robillard then went into another hotel claiming he had been abducted and collapsed in front of the staff, but when he was questioned in hospital by police, he confessed to everything in about 15 minutes.
