Ex-escort testifies at fraud trial
OTTAWA — After days of testimony about paid sex, faked pregnancies, spurious miscarriages and deadly car crashes, former escort Darquise Lecuyer took the stand Monday at her fraud trial.
Lecuyer's testimony took barely 15 minutes as her lawyer, Bruce Engel, tried to bolster his client's credibility.
On Friday, Crown prosecutor Jason Neubauer accused Lecuyer of lying to the court.
Lecuyer faces fraud and extortion charges after allegedly scamming $800,000 from her client Doug Macklem, who thought he was funding a resort and a life with his escort-turned-fiancee in the Dominican Republic — until she was supposedly killed in a 2006 Christmas car crash. Macklem suffers from cerebral palsy
On the stand, Lecuyer admitted to lying during an earlier civil case brought against her by Macklem, but she said she did so "out of fear" — fear of a boyfriend named Nolan Johnson whose violence and threats she dreaded.
She said he had warned her not to slip up.
"The fear is still there," she testified. "The difference now is I've had enough."
"I'm trying to do right."
Johnson was convicted of carrying a concealed weapon in 1990 and for obstruction in 1987.
The court also heard that Lecuyer had been found to be in contempt of court twice — in March 2009 and November 2010 — for failing to disclose financial information to the satisfaction of the court.
Judge John Johnston warned the jury they may only use Johnson's criminal record and Lecuyer's contempt findings to assess the credibility of her evidence.
The Crown and defence begin their closing statements on Tuesday.
Jury deliberations are expected to begin Wednesday.
Fraud sp trial
OTTAWA — After days of testimony about paid sex, faked pregnancies, spurious miscarriages and deadly car crashes, former escort Darquise Lecuyer took the stand Monday at her fraud trial.
Lecuyer's testimony took barely 15 minutes as her lawyer, Bruce Engel, tried to bolster his client's credibility.
On Friday, Crown prosecutor Jason Neubauer accused Lecuyer of lying to the court.
Lecuyer faces fraud and extortion charges after allegedly scamming $800,000 from her client Doug Macklem, who thought he was funding a resort and a life with his escort-turned-fiancee in the Dominican Republic — until she was supposedly killed in a 2006 Christmas car crash. Macklem suffers from cerebral palsy
On the stand, Lecuyer admitted to lying during an earlier civil case brought against her by Macklem, but she said she did so "out of fear" — fear of a boyfriend named Nolan Johnson whose violence and threats she dreaded.
She said he had warned her not to slip up.
"The fear is still there," she testified. "The difference now is I've had enough."
"I'm trying to do right."
Johnson was convicted of carrying a concealed weapon in 1990 and for obstruction in 1987.
The court also heard that Lecuyer had been found to be in contempt of court twice — in March 2009 and November 2010 — for failing to disclose financial information to the satisfaction of the court.
Judge John Johnston warned the jury they may only use Johnson's criminal record and Lecuyer's contempt findings to assess the credibility of her evidence.
The Crown and defence begin their closing statements on Tuesday.
Jury deliberations are expected to begin Wednesday.
Fraud sp trial
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