Daniel Bard's alleged actions 'destructive,' business owner testifies as trial continues

Shane Magee · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 30, 2025 2:59 PM EDT | Last Updated: 22 minutes ago

Two Dieppe concern owners testified Daniel Bard caused idiosyncratic anguish and fiscal loss. 

"Daniel whitethorn person done a fiscal fraud, but what helium did was truly destructive for the remainder of my life," Saly Davis testified arsenic Bard's proceedings successful Moncton provincial tribunal resumed Wednesday.

Bard, 60, is being tried connected 19 charges that see fraud, theft, wealth laundering and possession of spot obtained by crime. 

Bard is accused of stealing and defrauding Davis & Dye Inc. of more than $5,000 betwixt January 2016 and December 2020. Saly Davis, along with her hubby and concern spouse Clinton Davis, owned that company. 

"This astir wholly financially ruined us," Clinton testified Wednesday afternoon.

The Davises were among the concern owners who spoke to CBC News successful 2019 astir their experience. 

They testified they sought guidance from 3+ Corp. and were paired with Bard who was a vice-president of concern attraction for the agency. They said they were nearing the extremity of a franchise statement for a salon successful Dieppe and were looking astatine what to bash next, including buying a restaurant. 

Saly Davis said the brace met Bard astatine the 3+ office. She said erstwhile helium saw the salon's financial statements, helium abruptly became overmuch much interested. 

Davis described him making copies of the records and "practically frolicking retired of the country excited."

At a 2nd meeting, Saly Davis said Bard pitched them connected a "huge project" with his broadside business, VM Venture Management.

"'With these benignant of numbers, I privation to bring your concern connected board,'" Davis recalled him saying. 

Davis said his relation with 3+, a municipally funded economical improvement bureau serving the Moncton region, lent him credibility. Davis said determination was an presumption a inheritance cheque would person been done connected 3+ employees fixed its relation dealing with concern fiscal information. 

During portion of Davis's testimony, Susy Campos sat successful the courtroom assemblage taking notes. Campos led 3+ erstwhile the allegations against Bard were reported by media successful 2019. The enactment was aboriginal merged into the determination work commission.

Davis testified that the task gathering led to different astatine a edifice wherever Bard presented the Davises with a document, saying they would request to enactment up $25,000 US to get a recognition enhancement indebtedness of $330,000 US. 

'Skin successful the game'

The conditions, outlined successful a transcript of the papers shown to Davis portion testifying, said they would beryllium repaid each but 1 per cent if Bard failed to unafraid the money. However, if they backed out, they would forfeit the funds. 

"'I've enactment my tegument successful the game … present you're going to person to enactment immoderate tegument successful the game,'" Davis recalled Bard told them astir the archetypal deposit. 

The task helium wanted them to articulation progressive buying the erstwhile Bell Aliant Building connected Mapleton Road successful Moncton, which would go location to aggregate businesses.

Davis said the task included a program for them to unfastened their ain salon and cosmetology academy there. Davis said they began moving connected contracts, buying inventory and different steps portion Bard told them enactment was underway connected the task and the financing promised. 

"It was ever astir the corner, connected insubstantial we were told 9 to 14 weeks," Davis said astir the timeline. 

Along the way, Davis said determination were assorted meetings, calls, and messages with Bard. At one, Davis recalled helium was excitedly jumping up and down. 

"'We're going to beryllium a bank,'" Davis recalled him saying. The proceedings heard past week that Bard was telling employees of his institution astir moving to stabilize a troubled Italian bank.

But, Davis said the promises didn't materialize. Eventually, she said connection with Bard broke down and they began to uncertainty his claims.

"The task became unclear, but helium was avoiding america for a precise agelong time," Davis said.

Davis testified that successful the summertime of 2019, they planned to face Bard astatine a gathering successful a restaurant. However, Davis said Bard instantly handed them a cheque for $25,000 to repay their deposit. 

Clinton Davis recorded the meeting, a signaling which was entered into evidence. 

Saly Davis testified that Bard asked them to not instantly currency the cheque. 

However, the cheque was successful Canadian dollars, truthful they asked for a cheque successful American. The 2nd cheque, dated July 18, 2019, was fixed to her with Bard again asking to clasp disconnected trying to currency it until helium said to bash so. 

Later, erstwhile they tried to currency it, Davis testified the slope refused to bash so. 

Crown authoritative Andrew Pollabauer asked if Bard ever received the recognition enhancement helium promised. 

"Zero," Davis replied. 

Pollabauer asked astir repayment of the $25,000 US deposit. 

"Zero," Davis said. 

Impacts connected life, business

Asked astir the interaction connected her life, Davis paused for a moment.

She said it led to missing clip with her children, "working similar a canine connected a task that didn't exist," alienated by different businesses and socially, being called crazy, on with fiscal impacts. 

And, Davis said, her hubby inactive blames her for what happened. 

Clinton Davis said arsenic a effect of their experience, they mislaid immoderate tendency to subordinate with concern groups successful the Moncton area.

The proceedings is expected to proceed Thursday.