B.C. swindler manages to stay out of jail, thanks to COVID-19 pandemic

For most British Columbians, the pandemic has been a miserable experience. As of May 9, 129 residents have lost their lives and more than 250,000 have lost their jobs.

But one Salmon Arm man can count himself lucky.

Thanks to COVID-19, Richard Good was sentenced to house arrest—and not jail—after violating a B.C. Securities Commission lifetime ban on investor relations

Back in 2007, he admitted to raising nearly $2.4 million from investors while only putting $605,000 into capital-market investments. Most of the rest covered personal expenses.

At the time, Good also received a lifetime trading ban in addition to the prohibition on promoting investments.

However, in 2013 and 2014, Good persuaded a woman living with his best friend and brother-in-law to give him money to invest.

And once again, Good used these funds to cover personal expenses.

That prompted a B.C. Securities Commission investigation, which led to a criminal conviction in Provincial Court late last year.

Good acted as his own lawyer in the case, according to the Salmon Arm Observer.

On May 5, Judge Mark Takahashi sentenced Good to two years' probation, including a term of house arrest, allowing him to leave his home for only one hour a day.

According to the B.C. Securities Commission, the judge felt that this would be appropriate in light of COVID-19, which has been transmitted in prisons in many jurisdictions, including B.C.