Christian Crippin, former drummer for Canadian pop-punk band Hedley, and two of his companies are suing Ontario businessman Franco Vigile, claiming their investments in a chain of marijuana dispensaries went up in smoke after police raids shut down the businesses.
Crippin, his companies Crippin Health Inc. and Mrdrumsalot Music Inc., filed a notice of civil claim in BC Supreme Court on December 6. Crippin claims he initially invested $20,000 in Vigile’s company, non-party Janemar Health Services Inc., in September 2015 for 10% of the company and a 20% cut of the profits. In total, the plaintiffs claim they invested $460,000 with Vigile on assurances that the businesses were growing and expanding “dramatically” while enjoying support from Ottawa politicians and law enforcement.
However, two of the dispensaries were raided in March 2017 and Vigile was charged with drug trafficking, while a planned third dispensary “had yet to open.”
“When Crippin learned of the closure of the dispensary business, he asked for the return of the plaintiffs’ investment funds,” the claim states. “The defendant advised Crippin that he would not be returning any of the investment funds and would use the funds and assets of the dispensary business for personal purposes, including legal fees.”
According to the claim, Vigile used the funds to make “gratuitous payments” to family members and for other personal uses while misrepresenting “the views of Ottawa politicians and police who were strongly opposed to the dispensary business and planning legal action against it.”
Crippin and his companies seek unspecified damages for negligent or fraudulent misrepresentation, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty.
The allegations have not been tested or proven in court, and the defendant had not filed a response to the claim by press time.
