Photo: Colin Dacre

At least $44,000 in trip fees and fundraising meant for a European hockey tour was actually spent on the failed hockey dorm project near the SOEC.

The fraud trial for Mike Elphicke continued Thursday in Penticton court with a forensic accountant taking the stand. Elphicke is facing charges in connection to a youth hockey tour that never occurred, planned by the defunct Okanagan Elite Hockey Association.

A Canada-wide warrant is out for the arrest of his co-accused, Loren Reagan, who failed to show up for the start of the trial and is believed to be in Kuwait.

Federal government fraud examiner Darcy Wong told the courtroom Thursday his investigation of three OEHA bank accounts determined that the organization collected $128,000 in deposits, fees and fundraising from the hockey parents for the tour.

Just $15,000 of that went to the travel company contracted by Loren Reagan to plan the trip.

Wong said $44,000 was spent on the failed hockey dorm project, while Reagan took $38,000 and Elphicke and his wife benefited to the tune of $17,000.

Since the trial opened 10 days ago, the court has heard from a parade of parents who claimed to have been defrauded out of thousands of dollars, paying and fundraising for the $5,500 per child needed to take part in the trip that never took place as planned in 2012.

Calgary-based investment advisor Ian Frame took the stand earlier in the day, speaking about his experience planning his own European hockey and ringette tours, one of which Reagan’s child took part in.

He was approached by Reagan to plan the 2012 trip, but declined because his child wouldn’t be taking part. He also told the courtroom that he had been ripped off by Reagan in the past; when he rented an apartment off him while his child was attending the Okanagan Hockey Academy in 2010.

He paid Reagan $5,000 for a full year’s rent, but was kicked out three months later by the real owner of the property.

“It’s a mistake on my part, but I specifically recall doing it in good faith at the time,” Frame said about paying for the full year up-front.

“My impression for Loren was that he was busy in a lot of areas… I could see where there was some bright looking spots there, but unfortunately past the point of showing a little bit of enthusiasm, none of those things actually materialized and they just became more lies and more lies.”

Frame testified that Reagan appeared to be the organizer and driving force behind the European trip, while Elphicke acted in more of a support role.

The defence has been trying to paint the fraud was a one-man operation, orchestrated by Reagan. 

Elphicke will be taking the witness stand on Monday. Outside the courtroom Thursday, he told Castanet News he has been “waiting years" for his day in court.