The plaintiff, Gennett Lumber Company, brought a motion for default judgment against the defendant, Samuel Oluwaremilekum (also known as John Aremu), for his participation in a complex fraudulent scheme that resulted in losses of almost US$170,000.
The defendant had previously been convicted of possession of property obtained by fraud and received a conditional sentence.
The court found the defendant liable for civil conspiracy and awarded compensatory damages of US$168,442.30 (converted to CAD) and punitive damages of $100,000.
The court determined that the defendant's criminal conviction was not a bar to punitive damages, as the criminal sanction addressed only a portion of his involvement, and the goals of retribution, deterrence, and denunciation justified the award.
